Demolishing the Social Pyramid
by Whisper-of-Warning
Summary: Clary has always been invisible, so what happens when her bullied friends ask her to help them with the ultimate plan to take down the "populars"? Clary is pulled into the world of deception and deceit as she plays them all and falls for a certain tall, golden and complex boy in the process. What happens when the popular life drags her in? Can love save her? Will she fail? Human.
1. The Social Pyramid

**Hey, everyone! I'm back with another story! I have this problem with never finishing anything I start and I hate when people do that when a story is good, I'm like "NO PLEASE! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!". So for your benefit as much as mine I have decided to stick with stories with not a lot of chapters: onshots, twoshots, threeshots and so on (not exceeding 10 chapters). That way I can still write you all a kind of-good story and still feel complete by the end of the day.**

**I know, it's a win-win situation.**

**Please, stop I know I'm a genius! Stop please your praise is just too much!**

**Jace: You know you're talking to yourself...right?**

**Oh, shut up Jace! You're just jealous they're praising me.**

**Jace: Uh huh...that's it.**

**Anyway, I don't own any of the characters except for the plot. Enjoy! **

* * *

Clary frowned as she stared at her friends; what they were asking her to do was social suicide. Not that she had any social standing to begin with though it was at least nice to pretend she did. When you were invisible, it was easy to pretend people walked into you because they wanted some of your awesome to rub off on them.

She said it was "'easy", not "sane".

She bit her lip as Maia, Jordan, Magnus and Simon all looked at her hopefully. She was the missing puzzle piece; she was the most important player. She was the person they would all least expect, the person who could slip in and out without them checking for damage. She was the one that could take them all by surprise and massacre them all.

She was their Atomic Bomb.

She was invisible.

"I don't know…" Clary twisted her fingers together so hard her knuckles cracked in the silent room. She red hair was pulled back in a pony tail because the stray curls had bugged her and she was sick of having to itch her nose when the wandering strands tickled her freckled bridge.

"C'mon Clary, please." Simon said as he bent on his knees in front of her, his brown eyes bigger from the magnification of his glasses. He had lovely eyes, if they weren't hidden behind the ancient lens he liked to call his glasses. "'You carry the fate of us all, little one.'"

Clary frowned. "Did you just quote "Lords Of The Rings" at me—"

Simon rolled his eyes. "That's not the point, Clary!" He took a breath and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His hair was cut shaggily across his forehead, like he had gone to town on them with a pair of scissors. Clary had to refrain from brushing those bangs out of his eyes; she wished he would wear the contacts his older sister Becky had bought him. Maybe it would give him the confidence he needed. "It's not like they don't have it coming! Every one of them has asked for this, we can't stand by and let them bully us any longer."

But they hadn't bullied her; they had done something far worse.

Pretended like she was nothing but air.

No, not even! Air, at least, they knew existed. It was what kept them breathing and laughing, at others expense. It was what kept them alive to tease, torture, and belittle all the rest of the student body. Air had a purpose to them, an important one.

They didn't even give her enough respect to know her name.

It really wasn't that hard.

C-l-a-r-y like the herb.

A-d-e-l-e like the singer.

M-o-r-g-e-n-s-t-e-r-n like a person named Morgen standing at the stern of a boat.

See? Not hard at all

That was the moment Clary agreed. When she thought back to every time they had looked right through her, for every time they took and hid Simon's glasses in the boys locker room, for every time they snickered about Maia and called her a lesbian (when she was clearly in love with Jordan), for every time they'd put crushed chalk in Jordan's locker and made the faculty think it was drugs (that had happened twice), and for every time they had made fun of Magnus because he wore colorful clothes and was gay.

Clary looked at each of her beaten down friends, the same ones that she had movies nights with and played silly truth games (mostly Magnus and Maia) or played video games with (mostly Simon and Jordan). The people who would have given her the world if she had asked for it, the people who had sang silly songs just to make her smile. The ones who took the time to remember her whole name.

Clary Adele Morgenstern.

"Okay, I'll do it."

* * *

There really wasn't much to be said about the situation she found herself in. The role she played was easy, go in and come out with the intel, she knew that this was all it was going to take to make them hate her. But there really was no fighting it and if it made her friends happy…then so be it.

Social Suicide thy name is Clarissa Morgenstern, Clary thought triumphantly as she walked as confidently as she could toward the group of "populars" that were hanging out by the fountain.

You see, every day when Jace Lightwood and Sebastian Verlac finished their football practice they would all meet and poke fun at people from their glorious seat at "the fountain". Why anyone stayed after school to experience this torment was beyond her. The "populars" lived life in a food pyramid sort of way.

The "geeks, dorks, wallflowers, artists, stoners, Goths, etc."(who had their own pyramid) all were at the bottom of the pyramid. The next section was "the wannabes" these were the people who wanted to be a popular but were still trying to find their place within their "cult". They were basically dogs and treated as such. If they obeyed they got a treat, if they didn't they were knocked down on the social triangle and that to them was the unthinkable.

The next was the "dancer-prancers" which was the dance team members. The only reason they were on the social triangle was because they had great bodies and a sluty mentality, the leader of this brain-dead band of girls was co-captian Kaelie Queen and her sister, who was captain, Sesily Queen or Seelie Queen as they called her. Clary never understood why Sesily would want to have a nickname that remained Clary, herself, of a child's toy but whatever floated her boat!

The next was the "cheerleaders" which was lead by the foul beast Aline Penhallow, she was conniving and evil. She was striking with her clean cut cheekbones and soft Asian features. She took down anyone that was in her path and Clary didn't really want her razor cutting eyes locked on her to be the next target. But she knew it was inevitable with what she was about to do to all of them. Clary had heard of a lot of horror stories about Aline.

She believed every single one of them.

The next was the "footballers" which was a no brainer and didn't need to be explained. They were lead by Sebastian Verlac in this part of the pyramid. He was co-captain of the Raziel Angel's and was as ruthless as they came. His black hair and even blacker eyes gave off the aurora that he was sinister and twisted; applied with the feral smile, which reminded Clary more of a rabid dog than a human being, that he always used, Sebastian was down-right scary. And handsome. But then again, weren't they all.

The second to the top was Isabelle and Alec Lightwood. They held their own air of royalty, so to speak, and were in such a position from their beauty and connections to the school and the social triangle. They were practically destined to be in that spot. Each with black, glossy hair; Alec's hung in his electric blue eyes while Isabelle's fell like a waterfall down her spine. Each had delicate features from their cheekbones to their sensual lips. They were beautiful as much as they were intimidating. They didn't bother anyone much, mostly keeping to themselves. But she had seen them standing back with hard expressions while others were being teased, allowing it to happen was just as bad as performing the act in Clary's book.

That was why she had agreed to help her friends.

Now we reached the top of the pyramid, and whom but is perched on top of this social triangle of high school you ask. Why, none other than, the infamous Jace Lightwood.

See how Isabelle and Alec had "connections" to the pyramid now?

He was a mean boy with a twisted wit and a keen talent for imputing sarcasm and narcissism into any topic of conversation. He was rude, nasty and beautiful but Clary wouldn't admit the last part out loud. He was practically made from a gold colored pencil. His hair always in a tousled mess of curls that gave off the persona that I-just-woke-up-and-rolled-out-of-bed-with-this-hair-because-I-was-made-of-perfection. His eyes looked as if the heavens had poured molten gold doubloons in his iris's and add stardust to make them sparkle and glow. His chiseled jaw, permanent smirk, and muscular physique (hours of practice for football; being the captain was a commanding job) made him irresistible to the opposite gender.

He was the living, breathing embodiment of the God Apollo.

And yet, in that moment, as Clary watched him toss back his head and laugh as Aline shoved a girl trying to balance too many books, she had never seen someone so ugly.

Clary took a breath and nodded to Simon, who already had the camcorder rolling behind her; he gave her a reluctant smile back and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. She squared her shoulders, her small stature not helping the situation any, and walked with quick strides to the sprawled out girl all the while twisting her fingers together with nerves.

The group at the fountain laughed as the young girl was collapsed on her hands and knees; the soft, tender skin of her palms were scraped up and red with rage and she looked like she was trying to hold back tears, her lips were clenched together in a straight line and her eyes were blinking rapidly. She was a pretty girl; Clary had an art class with her. Jenny, she thought her name was.

Clary knelt on the ground to help Jenny pick up her books, putting out a hand to help her stand; she held the stack of textbooks out to Jenny. Clary smiled as juggled the stack and tucked a curly piece of flaming red hair behind her ear. The girl smiled back timidly and took the pile of textbooks from her, as Clary's weak arms screamed out in relief. Those books were much heavier than they looked. "Thank you."

Clary waved her hand like it was nothing, which in truth, it really was. Being nice was easy, plus it made her stomach flutter with warmth. It made her feel proud of herself for helping someone else. It made her feel better about herself in a way. "No problem, Jenny. See you in 2nd period."

Jenny blinked before smiling fully. She had a wonderful smile; with straight, white teeth, that she was sure had cost a fortune, it made her whole face light up. "Yeah, see you then Clary."

Clary felt a soft flutter in her stomach, someone had remembered her name.

Maybe she wasn't as invisible after all.

She looked back toward the group of bullies with a new found purpose. What she was about to do, had to be done. Their rein needed to be put to an end and how else did you overthrow a King? Clary watched as Jace leaned into Aline and whispered in her ear with a smirk. Aline smiled back devilishly and lightly nipped at Jace's lips. He pulled back and brought his attention to another girl, much to Aline's disappointment. Clary felt her lips curl up in disgust.

You rally his people against him.

A king is not a king without his subjects.

Jace Lightwood's rein needed to be put to an end and Clary was going to be the one to tear him down.

It was the start of World War 3.

Let the games begin.

She walked forward feeling the nerves she had felt before build in her stomach. Her palms were already sweaty and she felt out of place with her paint splattered shirt, jeans and boots. "Um, excuse me?" The group of teens continued to talk and laugh, the girls flirting with the football players and leaning precariously into them showing, without a doubt, right down their shirts.

No self respect at all.

"Excuse me?" Clary cleared her throat and tried again but it still had no effect on them. She looked at Simon questioningly but he simply shrugged.

"Hey!" Simon yelled, his glasses falling slightly askew. Everyone creased their conversation and looked at him, each with a different form of disgust. Clary could feel the pressure their eyes weighed on him as he nervously raised a shaking hand to straighten his glasses and brush the hair from his eyes.

"What do you want, Rat Boy?" Sebastian said as he lightly pushed a blonde girl, Klara, off his lap and smiled that rabid-dog smile. His jet-black hair gleamed off the shining sun and made him looked like a demon, staring down its prey. "I thought we already had a discussion between 3rd and 4th period."

He was referring to when he and Jace had shoved Simon's head into his own locker and then in the toilet in the boy's bathroom.

A flare of hot anger spiked up in Clary's stomach as Simon's face flushed and his voice began to shake. A few people let out laughs and giggles behind Sebastian, the result only egging him on. "We-we-well you see—"

"Obviously, you came back for round two." Sebastian said as he lifted himself from his seat and took a few steps toward Simon menacingly. Simon looked downright horrified, like he had totally forgotten what they had come to do. The panic in his eyes, like he truly was prey, was sickening; this wasn't the boy who had purposed they fight the "populars". This wasn't the boy that stood up for Mac O'Brien in the third grade because another boy had stolen his lunch money. This was a shell of that boy; this was the person Simon didn't want to be anymore.

Clary's feet moved on their own accord, intercepting Sebastian's pursuit toward Simon. Maybe it was because she had never truly been bullied before(well not the way Simon, Maia, Jordan or Magnus had). Maybe it was because she felt the strongest need to protect her friend or maybe it was because she was stubborn and reckless, she'd never know. But whatever it was, it made her lift her head up and raise her eyebrows at Sebastian with a bored and disinterested expression, like she had so many better things to be doing than be here. She felt empowered and strong, she could do this. She knew she could.

She crossed her small arms across her, even smaller, chest and stared up at him. "Actually, we came to do a project. If you'll listen we'll tell you what it is." He didn't say a word, just blinked down at her like she had appeared out of thin air. Clary rolled her eyes before continuing. "We were told to interview the most important members of the school. We figured who would know the school better than the people who rule it?" Sebastian smirked at the compliment and Clary had to resist the urge to snicker. Boy, were they were in for a surprise, all of them were. She felt slightly sick giving them a compliment but she knew it was part of the plan. It's didn't make it taste any less like acid in her mouth though. "See we need to interview the 5 most important people in the school. We figured you might know who they were."

Sebastian smirked again and sat back down, leaning back in his seat. "Well you thought wisely, Ginger Bread." Clary almost groaned out loud, like she hadn't heard that one before. "You're looking at one of the most important people, right here." He pointed to himself with a feral smile.

Tiffany, a key person in the "wannabe" section of the pyramid jumped forward. "And Aline, she's another one." Aline tossed her glossy, short, black hair over her shoulder and smiled fondly at Tiffany, like one would smile at a pet. Tiffany was getting major brownie for that one.

"Don't forget Jace!" Another girl yelled. "He's the most important!"

"Oh darling, that's impossible." The blonde God in the back of the table, completely surrounded by women smirked his trademark grin and it made Clary's betraying heart jump in anticipation. His golden cat eyes cut deep into Clary's mind and for a moment she was afraid he knew what they were up to. That he could see the whole plan in her mind before she even had a chance to execute it, but he studied her for only a second before he shifted his gaze to the girl who spoke. Clary felt a weight being lifted from her chest as she sighed in relief, earning a confused look from Simon that she ignored. "I'm unforgettable." He finished off his egoistic sentence with a wink.

A mass of giggling shook the table

It worked.

They were eating out of the palm of Clary's hands.

Hook, line and sinker.

They had them all right.

Clary felt the smirk before she knew it was there. "Perfect."

* * *

In the end, they ended up with the following:

Jace Lightwood (of course)

Sebastian Verlac

Aline Penhallow

Kaelie Queen

Seelie Queen

It had all been too easy, really.

Clary bit her lip and thought of another question to ask them. She had scrawled a list of questions to ask each of the 5 "poppies" as Simon had started calling them. She bit the end of her pencil before snapping her fingers and smiling as she scribbled another one down.

The plan was simple, in fact it was written out on the paper before her. They would tape and interview each of the "poppies" and then, like any good reporter would do, they would fiddle with the truth a little as well as fiddle with the video. Clary felt that small stab of guilt in her stomach. What they were doing wasn't right, it made them no better than the "poppies", didn't it?

Mr. Harrison broke through Clary's haze of guilt with his clear but monotone voice. "Please discuss among yourselves, or with a partner, what you feel most applies to you: Dispositional or Situational Theory."

Clary watched as everyone separated and moved around the room, meeting up with friends and laughing as the room filled with chatter. She brought her gaze back down to the piece of torn and doodled parchment in front of her. Her A.P Psychology class continued to talk around her as she softly colored the corner of her paper. She didn't have any friends in this class, just one of many classes she suffered through daily. She wished she could make the day go by faster so she could just get to her 3 art classes already. Her first period was boring when it came to partnership and interesting when it came to lectures. Clary loved psychology but the amount of friends in the class was depressing.

The desk in front of her squealed as it was shifted and Clary lifted her gaze and sat back sharply when Isabelle Lightwood's face appeared before her. Alec's hovered behind her, always her shadow.

Clary brought a hand to her fast-beating heart, her hair was tousled around her head in fiery red curls. "You scared me."

Isabelle didn't beat around the bush when she spoke next. Her plump lips were in a hard, straight line and her dramatic eyebrows in a deep frown. "I know you're up to something."

Clary blinked quickly, trying her best to cover the question sheet in front of her. But it was two on one as Alec moved with lightning speed and grabbed the sheet from under her hands. "Stop! That's not-"

Alec raised an eyebrow, much to Clary's envy, as his blue eyes glanced over the sheet. He handed it to Isabelle without a sound as she scanned over it as well. Clary really wished she hadn't doodled herself standing on top of a collapsed and unconscious Jace wearing his crown on that piece of paper. Isabelle raised her eyebrow next and handed Clary the piece of parchment back.

She glanced down in shame, she had let them all down now. Isabelle and Alec would tell Jace what they planned for sure now. Their was no way they would let her and Simon publicly humiliate their adopted brother! Clary let out a sigh. "Let me explain."

"Thank you."

Clary blinked again and stared at Isabelle Lightwood like she had grown two heads. Was she crazy or just certifiably insane. "Excuse me?"

Isabelle smiled as Alec took a seat to Clary's left. The black and pale beauty actually laughed; it was _seriously_ happening. Clary had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. This couldn't be real right? "I like you, Clarissa Morgenstern. You'll be just what Jace needs. Knock him down a few pegs." She paused and exchanged a looked with Alec, who nodded. "Maybe you can bring our brother back."

Clary looked at Alec next, who nodded again. "He didn't use to be like this..." Alec trailed off as his deep eyes blazed over.

Isabelle nodded vehemently and grabbed Clary's hands in hers. The rings on Isabelle's fingers dug into Clary's flesh, but instead of feeling pain she felt relief. The pain reminded her she was awake and not in a dream. "He really didn't. You have to believe us, he use to care...but some things happened..." She looked at the ground before her expression was hard again like a stone. "Count us in. Whatever it is, we're in."

Clary stared at the Lightwood siblings as they gazed back at her. She saw the truth in what they said, she found she believed them.

That was how Clary recruited the Lightwood's.

The plan was simple.

_Demolish the Social Pyramid_.

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**Please review! I love it when you do!**


	2. Development In The Plan

**Wow! I got some great reviews so I'd like to give a shout out to:**

**grlvct: haha IT IS ABOUT TO GO DOWNNNNN! YOU KNOW IT'S ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!**

**CakeIsAGoodFriend: I am just doing stories that don't exceed 10 chapters because, like you, me and many people out there I'm sure (don't be shy we know who you are), I am not a story finisher…if that's a word… and I absolutely hate when a good story is stopped half-way through.**

**ATLpaintingflowers: Thank you so much for the compliments! It tickles me pink to have someone be so sweet. You are obviously on team Clary, Simon, Maia, Jordan, Alec, Isabelle and (of course) MAGNUS! :D Wow that was a lot to say… anyway thanks!**

**gottalovetheboywiththebread: Thank you! I like you :D**

**CannibleDuckWithAnAxe4: I know! I'm as excited as you are for some Clace action. There my favorite characters and am soooooo excited to be able to put my own spin on their romance. I'm excited that YOU'RE excited to read it!**

**claryfray16: Thanks! It was sweet of you to say so! Get it? Because you said sweet story…hahah…get it?…no?**

**Buffering: Thanks for the boost of confidence! I'm really excited that you love it!**

**rcs17: Thank you! I love your support :D**

**mortalinstrumentsgurl1: Thanks, I'm just tryin' to keep it fresh. Haha you know how it is! But really thanks for the review**

**Soaking In The Reign: Remember my young patawan use the powers I am bestowing upon you for good not evil….and you're right that would be pretty cool!**

**MIgirl923: Thank you for your support and the praise for the story. I hope I don't let you down!**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed or just followed the story! Thank you for all your support. Okay, truth time…I'm like really nervous that I'm going to blow this all to pieces and it's going to end up like crap. So, please feel free to purpose something to add and I will make sure to give credit where credit is due. Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed and like I promised here's Chapter 2…..I rimed ;D**

**I don't not own any of the characters…sadly but I do own the devilish plot. MWAHAHAHAHA!**

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Clary sighed as she stuffed the now totally torn, folded, crinkled piece of paper in her backpack only crushing the poor parchment more. It was a mess of scribbles and doodles, everyone had reviewed it and had gone over it about a million times and now the results were together. They had their questions in order, everyone from Magnus to Alec adding their two cents on what to say. She actually couldn't believe how well Isabelle and Alec had blended into her dysfunctional little group. Both of the siblings had been completely at ease, well Isabelle more so than Alec but still he had come and not stood against the wall like a statue and in Clary's mind that was progress.

She shoved her A.P Psych into her cramped locker as her bent to retrieve her box of pastels. The school's art supplies, especially the pastels, were discolored and broken beyond repair so Clary had opted to bring her own from home for her art project. She was still hesitate on the matter, because she didn't want to share them. It wasn't that she was selfish but she didn't want anyone ruining them and that's what teens did.

They ruined stuff.

She would know, she was a teen.

That was how he found her, kneeling with a paint spattered hand on her chin and a contemplating look in her eye still deciding to take her prized pastels or not to.

"Hey."

Clary tilted her head still rolling over the idea in her brain and she bit her bottom lip.

"Hey," A hand flashed in her vision making her fall flat on her butt. "Earth to Morgenstern."

She stared at the black boots that stood in front of her slowly trailing her gaze up the dark-wash clad jeans past the tight white t-shirt to the smirking blonde that stared down at her with sparkling eyes. In retrospect it really wasn't fair. He was already beyond beautiful why did they have to make his eyes captivating too? Why couldn't they have been scary and dark like Sebastian's? No, they had to be glowing and gorgeous like shining topaz gems. It just wasn't fair.

His smirk widened and she realized he had asked her something she didn't hear. "Huh?"

"I said didn't you hear me calling you?" She opened her mouth but he held up a hand swiftly cutting her off. "It's a stupid question now, seeing as even when I'm right in front of you, you didn't hear. My beauty has struck you speechless."

Clary blinked a minute before frowning. He really had a lot of nerve, even if she had been thinking about how gorgeous he was, which he _was_, that didn't mean the brain cells in her head just decided to stop working because he was around. "Actually," She lifted herself off the ground and dusted the dirty floor germs off her butt. "I did hear you."

"Then why didn't you answer?" Jace smirked at her as she turned to her locker.

"Because I didn't think you were talking to me." It was easier acting like she was disinterested when she wasn't looking at him. As if he knew just that, Jace leaned his shoulder right beside her locker and crossed his arms. He was in her personal space bubble and sending warning sirens off in her brain.

_WARNING WARNING! UNIDENTIFIED HANDSOME INTRUDER! RUN! RUN NOW!_

Jace's lips lifted up in the corners, shoving a strip of white teeth. He ran a hand through his hair making it loop and curl in a delicious way. Clary curled her hand into a fist to keep from brushing the curls back into place and had to force her legs not to book it down the hallway. What was wrong with her? "Who else would I be talking to? We're the only ones in the hallway."

The bell for 2nd hour had rung long before but Clary was in art and Mr. Bryant was super lenient. He let kids skip class, leave school (within reason), and be late on a daily basis. But what was Jace doing wandering the halls? Why did he have to be here? All up in her personal space, looking great and smelling even better. The longer she was at her locker the longer Jace was going to linger so Clary made a split second decision and grabbed the pastels before slamming the locker door a little too hard.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" She said as she turned on the heel of her boot and pulled her backpack up on her shoulders.

Jace kept pace beside her as she stalked toward her art class. "Of course."

That was all. No explanation, no nothing. Well, whatever she didn't care. "Well, why do you go there?"

Jace frowned at her like she was missing something that was so obvious. "Because I don't want to be there."

"Then why are you here with me?"

"When I could be there?"

"Yes, why are you here?"

"Instead of there?"

Clary scowled. "Yes."

"Why here when I'm supposed to be there…" Jace made a face like he was thinking but Clary knew he was teasing her. Evident from the large smirk that was on his face, she was about to smack it off if he didn't stop. The thought rattled her, she wasn't one for violence. Jace Lightwood did not bring out a good side of her. "Well, it could be because class is always boring and temping to skip but something tells me it's because I know it won't hold my interest as well as you have, Ginger Bread."

Clary's brain stopped thinking. She stopping noticing how good he smelled and how handsome he looked, the way the sun streamed from the open window in the hallway illuminating his head like a halo. She forgot the nerves that were twisting in her stomach and the sweatiness of her palms as she halted her strides in the hallway and turned to Jace fast catching him by the arm and taking him by surprise. She was sick of being called anything but her name with the "populars". "Look, Sunshine, I have a name. It's Clary, so maybe you should start using it."

Jace smirked as she all but spit at him. He was much more than a head taller than her and she had to look up to yell at him but he seemed to get the memo. He held his hands up in a form of surrender. "I know what your name is."

"Then why don't you use it."

"There called endearments, Clary." Jace smirked against as he shook his hair, she waited for paint to fall from the golden strands and coat the hallway's walls.

Clary wasn't stupid; she knew exactly what an endearment was. Magnus called her "darling" all the time and Simon and Jordan always called her "sweetheart". Those were endearments; Jace's nicknames were just insulting.

"Well, they suck then." She said as turned back and started on her way to art again.

Jace let out a laugh as he followed after her. "You don't like me endearments?"

"I am a human. Not a red-headed pastry." Clary spoke as she kept walking, she was already beyond late and she really wanted to talk to Jenny. Art was her favorite hour, so she had chosen to independently study it for senior year. It had been the best decision ever.

Jace chuckled again but it was closer to her ear this time. His voice dropped to a low and husky tone that Clary knew he had used so much it was perfected from over the years. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up like static was making them erect. Her nerves were being caressed from the velvet of his tone and were on hot wire. "That might be so, but you're cute enough to eat. I wouldn't mind taking a bite."

She almost kissed him right then and there; which was bold, much bolder than she ever was. But that small part of her brain, the logical part told her he was just playing her. Just like she was just playing him. It didn't matter if he had managed to make butterfly's appear in her stomach, something no one had ever done before, or that he made her legs weak with one sentence. She was just a game to him, and little did he know, he was just a game to her.

At least, she hoped he was.

She had to nip this in the bud before it got out of hand. She had to end it before something terrible happened, like her ending up getting hurt. Which with Jace Lightwood, that is the only thing she'd end up being; hurt and alone.

It was the special partying gift he gave all his woman.

She refused to be another statistic on Jace Lightwood's pie chart.

"Look," Clary turned and looked Jace in the eye; she sighed as she began pulling on the corners of her pastel box. She didn't feel so strong and independent anymore. "You're a really attractive guy—"

Jace smirked. "You think I'm attractive?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Despite herself, Clary smiled. "Everyone thinks you're attractive." Jace let out a laugh as he smiled at her. Her heart got caught in her throat as she looked at the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. It was lopsided, the left pulling up much more than the right, his teeth gleamed and she noticed a chip on his incisor. His eyes gleamed in an unearthly glow as he smiled that way. He wasn't just attractive in that moment, he was beautiful. Clary had to look away before she lost all nerve. "And it's because you're attractive that this is never going to work. I don't want to be dragged around by my heart strings and being," Clary couldn't find the word. "Anything, with you is exactly what would happen. Love isn't a game, I treat it seriously." She meant every word, so why did it feel like she was lying through her teeth?

"Whoa. Slow down there, Spitfire." Jace frowned and seemed genuinely upset by what she said. His dark eyebrows were pulled down over his darken eyes. "Who said anything about love?" He paused as he stared at her for a moment, and he frowned obviously unhappy with the look he found in her eyes. "We can't even be friends?"

Clary smiled softly and shook her head. "People like you, aren't friends with people like me." She turned and walked the rest of the way to her class leaving Jace yelling behind her.

"What's that supposed to mean? Clary, wait!"

She didn't

* * *

"What do you mean he asked you to be friends?"

Clary sighed as she popped a potato chip in her mouth. "'I mean what I said, he asked if we could be friends."

Simon let his mouth fall down in astonishment. A chunk of shaggy brown hair fell in his chocolate brown eyes. "_The_ Jace Lightwood asked _you_ Clarissa Morgenstern, if you could be friends?"

Clary frowned as she turned to face him and away from the computer where they were editing the video they had taken of all 5 of their classmates. "Are you brain dead or something? I just said that four times. And stop sounding so amazed."

Simon shook his head. "I can't believe it…The Jace Lightwood."

"Why the unnecessary "the" in front of his name?" Clary gathered her long, red tendrils and pulled them back in a bun away from her face.

Simon shrugged as he frowned at her. "I don't know. It keeps slipping out."

Clary laughed as she stole another potato chip and watched the computer screen over Simon's shoulder. "How's it coming along?"

"Wonderfully. It's better than anything we could have hoped for." He petted the screen lovingly before giving the computer a kiss. "My baby…"

"That was really sad and super creepy."

Simon's mouth dropped in an "o" shape as he pretended to cover his computers "ears". "Don't talk to Gladice that way!" He turned back to the computer and continued to stroke it.

"I wasn't talking to the computer I was talking about- "Clary cut off mid-sentence as she bit her lip to keep back her smile. "Did you just call your computer Gladice?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"So unoriginal."

"Hey!" Simon laughed as Clary giggled behind him. Ever since Isabelle Lightwood had been coming over more often to go over their ultimate plan, Simon had taken to wearing his contacts and Clary was almost surprised at how attractive he looked without those chunky, ancient glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I feel like it isn't enough to start a Revolution." He said while staring at the video they had so far.

Clary shrugged and took an ungraceful seat on his bed, which she sunk into. "Simon, you have to get rid of this water bed and get a real mattress. Seriously, they're all the rave now."

Simon ignored her as he stared at his computer screen, it was frozen on a picture of Jace's face as he smirked and his golden eyes set on Clary as she bowed her red head. "That's it!" Suddenly Simon swiveled in his chair and leaped for his phone. He landed on the bed with a slap, the momentum making Clary fly off and on to the floor.

"What the heck, Si!"

Simon had the phone to his ear and was smiling. He was, again, completely ignoring her. "Get everyone together, I have a new plan."

* * *

"No."

"C'mon, please."

"No."

"Clary."

"Simon."

"Please."

"No."

Clary folded her arms and looked at the 6 teens that had turned against her. It had been a fine plan in the beginning, but now they were getting too close to hurting a lot of people. She didn't want to be deceptive, but it seemed this is what it was all coming down to.

Isabelle folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "I don't get what the problem is, you'll fit right in."

"The problem," Clary glared at the dark, exotic beauty. "Is that it's wrong."

"Was it right for them to leave me a magazine of X-Rated pornography?" Maia stated. "The women issue."

Clary shook her head slowly, some stray curls falling out of her bun and soft laying on the side of her face, tickling her cheekbones. "No."

"Was it right of them to tie me to the flag pole and paint me the color of the rainbow? Then proceed to tell everyone 'anyone who can see the gay boy, can taste the gay boy'?" Magnus said as he stood in his diamond studded vest and black jeans, as sparkly and flamboyant than ever and looking more righteous than Clary had ever seen him.

Clary sighed; she knew where this was going. She was going to lose. "No."

"Was it right of them—"

"Alright, alright! I get it already! But two wrongs don't make a right! Haven't you ever heard the saying 'if you lie down with the dog's you'll get fleas'?"

Simon nodded. "My doctor gave me a vaccination for that already. I'm flea free."

Clary groaned. "How am I supposed to even get them to like me? I can't fit in with them."

Isabelle laughed as she took a seat next to Clary. "It's not about them liking you; you only need one person for that. Jace is your in and trust me, Clary, you'll fit in just fine. With my help, no one will even know who you were."

"They already don't know who I am to begin with." She grumbled as Isabelle draped an arm across her narrow shoulders.

"When I'm done with you, they're not going to forget your name."

* * *

So, this was the new development. Clary was going in to get the dirt.

Jace was her in.

She was going into the enemy's territory.

Taking the intruder from the inside.

She could almost hear the crowd cheering behind her in a sarcastic and cynical chant.

_Long._

_Live._

_The._

_King._

Jace Lightwood and the rest of his band of wrong-doers wouldn't know what hit them.

They were about to go up in flames.

* * *

**Dun, dun Duhhhhhhhh! Looks like Clary's going into the hornet's nest and taking them out from the inside. But that means she has to get close to a certain blonde King. Hmmmmmm….**

**I hope everyone liked it. I'll try my best to include more romance than just Clace but I'm really back with the other characters but I'll try my best. Hope you liked it and please, reveiw!**


	3. Karma's A Bitch

**Hey loved all the reviews! Thank you everyone who commenting, I've gotten nothing but wonderful reviews so far. A lot of you have been saying it reminds you of John Tucker Must Die, and when I started writing it I wasn't basing it off the movie but it did sound like it. I just wanted everyone to know, I didn't base it off of the movie and it really it my own plot. Well, anyway here is chapter 3. Enjoy!**

**All MI characters are owned by the lovely Cassandra Clare.**

* * *

Clary glanced down at the outfit she wore, disgust etched plainly on her face. "I feel ridiculous."

"You look ridiculously good."

Clary tried and failed to raise an orange-red eyebrow. "I look stupid."

"If by stupid, you mean, _stupidly_ awesome than yes."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Doesn't it?"

"No."

Magnus put a hand to his chin before nodding with Isabelle. "I must say you do look ravishingly good, not as good as me perhaps but it will have to do." This was coming from the guy wearing sparkling rainbow colored skinny jeans.

And rocking them.

Isabelle shot Magnus a look before appraising Clary again. "You have such a great body shape I don't know why you don't show it off. If I had your body-"

"I'd rather not know what you'd do with my body."

Isabelle laughed as she threw Clary a pearly white grin. "Touché."

She looked back in the full length mirror again. Gone were the overly large hoodies, which she had stolen from her brother Jonathon before he went off to college, paint splattered shirts and the baggy jeans. Isabelle had gone all out, dressing her in a flowing white top that hugged her chest tightly making it look like she had more of a cup size than she did. The soft, billowing material stopped just past her butt, which were encased in a pair of leggings that looked like a second skin. Gone were the 3 elastic bands that she always kept on her wrist, because it took at least three to keep all her red hair back, in their place were silver bracelets that made her wrist look that much more delicate.

Her hair flowed down back her shoulders in unruly curls; Isabelle couldn't do anything to control the erratic behavior of the red strands and she was secretly pleased. At least she got to keep a little bit of herself, the out-of-control behavior of her hair made her feel in a little bit of control of the whole situation.

As strange as that was.

Both Magnus and Isabelle had said Clary was under no circumstances allowed to put her hair back in a ponytail or her traditional bun. But when she made a big deal of groaning every time a strand fell in her face Isabelle had simply swiped a brush down her right-sided part and parted the large mess of hair down the middle, softening her features. Both had nodded in agreement and Clary had to agree it was much better this way. Plus, it didn't look that bad overall.

Isabelle had found leather knee-high boots shoved in the deep confines of her closet. She had agreed to wear them only because they didn't have a heel and Isabelle's threat for her feet were 7-inches of pure hell.

Her lashes were dark black, from the mascara Magnus had added; making her eyes seem bigger and making her green eyes seem brighter. She had put her foot down on eyeliner, saying pencils were meant for writing and drawing, not meant for coloring eyes.

That was just a recipe for losing an eye.

Both fashionista's had scoffed at her but listened to her one request. Her cheeks were rosy and they hadn't put foundation on her saying she was already porcelain white like a doll anyway. In the end, Clary didn't look like Clary at all. She looked new and remade.

She wasn't sure how she felt about the whole change yet.

She sighed and went to grab her messenger bag, another thing she got to keep. The clock on the side of her bed flashed and she almost groaned. They had appeared at her house quite randomly and forced her out of bed. She never got up past 6:40, seeing as the ride to school took 20 minutes and class started officially at 7:10. Both "fashion guru's" had her up by 6:00, which in all rights had to be against the law somehow.

She was certainly looking it up.

She felt her feet drag to the kitchen as she grabbed an apple and glanced at the note that said her mother would be out again. "Would you guys like some breakfast?" Clary said awkwardly, she'd never have people stay at her house before.

Well, except Simon but he usually just grabbed whatever he wanted and didn't need her to play host.

She gestured to the bowl of apples that sat on the island counter but Isabelle simply shook her head. "I'm on a diet."

Clary frowned. "But…it's an apple?"

"Yes, I see that."

"What the hell are you dieting if you can't even eat an apple?"

"Clarissa, language." A deep, gruff voice came from the hallway.

Clary grinned as the gruff voice developed a face as Lucian Graymark stepped into the room. She couldn't help the childish urge to throw her arms around him as she pushed her face into his chest. He smelled like cologne, that her mother had bought him for Christmas one year, and old books. Clary took a deep breath as her mind registered that this was her father. He wrapped his buff arms around her too and lifted her feet off the ground, like he use to do when she was small.

Well smaller.

Luke had been in the family forever. He had been her mother's best friend before he became her husband. It was a story that sounded like Nicholas Sparks had a hand in it. Jonathan had only been two when their father, Valentine, had decided that he wanted a different life that his dreams didn't have a place for his toddler or his pregnant wife.

So, he had ditched.

There really was no better way to put it.

He ditched and took all their money with him. And so not knowing where to go and not having anyone to turn to, Luke had swept them up like a white knight riding a stallion and let them share his shabby apartment over his bookstore. There wasn't much to say after that, Luke took the role of parent and guardian; even going as far as to adopt her and Jonathan.

But when they really fell in love, her mother and Luke, was when they had gone to get her ultrasound done. They had all huddled together, Jocelyn on the examination bed and Jonathan on Luke's lap, and watched as Clary appeared on the screen. So small and fragile, Jocelyn had grabbed Luke's hand as they both became teary eyed and when the doctor had said that their baby girl was growing healthy and steady Luke had looked Jocelyn in the eye and said "Yes, _our _daughter."

Then he kissed her.

And the rest is history.

Every picture they had in their house was of the four of them: on vacation, at the park, on the holidays, Jonathan's graduation day, when he won his first hockey game, when Clary had won first place in the National Art Society: Children Works, when they moved from the Luke's shabby apartment into a nice apartment a block away.

She loved Luke as her father and so did Jonathan. He just fit.

"Watch your language." He tapped his finger against the tip of her nose as let his gaze scan over her. "Wow, what's got you all gussied up?" He wiggled his bushy, dark brown eyebrows. "A boy, perhaps?"

Clary blushed as Isabelle jumped to her rescue. "Nah, just playing dress-up." She smiled and Clary had to repress the urge to sigh in relief. "Hi, I'm Clary's friend Isabelle Lightwood." She held out a hot-rod red finger nailed hand. Isabelle was much more pleasant with new people, Clary observed. And less bossy.

Luke blinked as if he hadn't seen her before smiling at her with a fatherly expression. Luke was always open and trusting; he gave his heart to anyone. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Isabelle." He shook her hand with a big smile before nodding to Magnus with the same endearing smile. "Always a pleasure, Mr. Magnus."

Magnus smiled as his sharp eyes focused like a cat. "To you as well, Mr. Graymark."

Luke looked over his shoulder before furrowing his eyebrows as Magnus. "For a second I thought my dad was here." He laughed as he teased the sparkling boy. "You know you can call me Luke, Magnus." He smiled at Isabelle too. "That goes for you too."

Isabelle smiled back. "Alright, Luke."

He nodded clearly satisfied as he walked toward the coffee pot pressing a few buttons before slamming the back of the machine with his hand. "Damn thing can't even turn on let alone make coffee anymore."

Clary floated over to him as she grabbed her navy blue pea coat and wool scarf off one of the chairs in the kitchen. "Language, Luke."

Luke laughed as Clary stood on her tip toes to kiss his scruffy cheeks. "Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

Clary waved Magnus and Isabelle forward as she laughed. "Leaving! Love you!"

"Yeah. I love you too, Squirt."

Isabelle and Magnus barely got out their goodbye before Clary shut her front door and headed down the apartments steps. Her phone rang as she got to the bottom of the staircase. She glanced at her phone as Simon's name flashed across it.

**Be there in 5.**

Clary typed a quick reply before she turned to Isabelle and Magnus as the two headed toward Isabelle's car. They were both discussing the key 24 different ways to tie a scarf as Clary called out to them. Isabelle turned on the very tall heels of her sexy, black boots; her butt looking great in her skinny jeans. "Wait!"

She was slightly breathless as she stopped in front of them. "What if Jace doesn't ask me to be his friend again? What if he changed his mind?"

Her stomach twisted with nerves and quivered with excitement all at the same time. She always felt those two emotions whenever Jace's smirking face appeared in her mind. What if he laughed at her for suggesting that they be friends? What if it's all just a prank? Isabelle's dark eyes danced over Clary's body as she grinned devilishly. "Trust me, he'll ask you again."

Magnus kissed her cheek quickly as Isabelle walked to the driver's side of the large, black SUV. "Don't sweat it, darling. You look so hot; you burn brighter than the tanning bed Kaelie uses to get that fake tan." Clary laughed as Magnus stepped into the car.

"Thanks, I think."

Magnus winked at her. "You're quite welcome. I only speak the truth."

She smiled as Simon pulled up in the chunky van he had bought from Eric. She waved to Isabelle and Magnus as she ran toward Simon's rusty ride. As soon as she sat down Simon jumped her with questions. "Was that Isabelle? Did she ask about me? Did she ask if this was my new car? Did you tell her it's only temporary? Did she see me jump the curb slightly because that was Eric's fault!"

"Hey!" Clary laughed as the skinny, dorky boy shouted from the backseat.

"Just drive." Clary smiled as the van booted into gear and rushed to follow the black SUV.

* * *

Clary walked into her 5th period with an empty stomach and fast beating heart. She hated her lunch period, it was "D" meaning it cut right through her 5th period and was the last lunch of the day. Mr. Jericho's class was okay. He was more of a hands-on type teacher and with the subject of A.P English that was an easy thing to do. So far they had reenacted _Hamlet_ and _Macbeth_ and were now on to _Romeo and Juliet_.

Clary felt the butterflies in her stomach beat even quicker as she took her usually seat in the back. She nervously twisted her fingers together. This was another class that she had no friends and it was another class she some-what enjoyed, aside from the partner thing. The butterflies in her stomach soon turned to wasps as she watched her fellow classmates arrive.

Why, you ask? Why does she feel this way?

Well, it happened to be the time when they would pick out their roles for the _Romeo and Juliet_ reading but also it happened to be the only class she shared with a certain golden stud-muffin.

That's right; Jace Lightwood was in her class.

Go figure, right.

Clary felt her heart slightly explode when he walked in. He seemed to float and glide over to his usually seat in the fare left corner; as far away from her as possible. Clary watched as he laughed at something his brother said and nodded to a random student who called out his name. He really was beautiful in all fairness. It only made sense for him to be the King of the school, this was his territory; his domain.

Well, for now anyway.

She had to remind herself of the plan as she watched him walk further into the room. She couldn't believe that just yesterday he had asked her, ordinary, plain, Clary to be his friend. He was stunning and she was not. She felt the breath leave her lungs as his eyes glided over her before backtracking. He stopped walking and blinked at her as if not knowing who she really was.

Clary felt her knuckles pop as she twisted her fingers too hard; her teeth coming over to bit the bottom of her lip. His gaze fluttered over her like caressing fingertips, she could practically feel his eyes weighing on her body as he looked over her. He seemed to take a breath and run a hand through his curls before smirking and walking her way.

Holy crap, he was walking her way!

Alec watched with a confused expression before he locked eyes with Clary and softly smiled. She returned the look as the dark haired boy followed his brother and took a seat in front of Jace as the golden boy plopped down in the seat to Clary's right.

"You know, you didn't have to get all dressed up to catch my eye. All you had to do was ask and I would have given you my undivided attention." Jace threw a smirk her way as Clary let out a laugh.

"Yeah, well if I had done it for you I would have certainly just stroked your overly large ego a little. I would have gotten the same results, I'm sure." She smiled back at him as Alec let out a laugh.

"I like this one." Alec said as Jace stared at her.

"Yeah," He spoke in a husky tone. His eyes were like a golden ocean waiting to pull her little ship into its roaring waters. Many secret treasures and sunken ships lay at the bottom of that deep, chaotic ocean and she couldn't help but want to chance it anyway. Even if the water's swallowed her whole, she wanted to at least try. "So do I." His tone was husky and deep. It was doing crazy things to her nerves which were tingling and sparking just by his mere gaze alone, they were on fire now. And in that moment, as Clary felt Jace's affect on her, she wondered what it would like to have those wonderfully sculpted lips placed on hers.

They would be dominating and conquering she was sure. She knew how she would hold him; one hand would hold the collar of his shirt while the other would twist in his silky locks. Were they as soft as they looked? Would like feel like silk under her fingers?

Clary felt her cheeks flush as she turned her attention away from Jace and to Mr. Jericho, who had started to talk. How long had she been staring at Jace? Why did it feel like the world stopped turning when he was looking at her? Why was she thinking such scandalous thoughts about him?

He was her project.

Her target.

He was her enemy.

At least, he was supposed to be; but with him talking to her like that and looking at her with those melt-you-to-butter eyes. She couldn't seem to recall the whole plan.

"Now class, our new project of literature will be _Romeo and Juliet_. Can anyone tell me who wrote this story?"

A lazy hand shot up as Mr. Jericho nodded. "Yes, Raphael?"

Raphael was another boy on the football team but he was mostly quiet and kept to himself; mostly mumbling in Spanish. "William Shakespeare."

Mr. Jericho looked very please as he leaned back against his desk and crossed his long legs. He was a young teacher and mostly laid-back but his love for literature bordered on obsession. At least, Clary knew the man loved his job. That had to be great; teaching your favorite subject to a bunch of teens who could have cared less. "That's right! And can anyone tell me what this story is about?" His eyes scanned the room as Bridget stuck her hand in the air.

Bridget Dryer was a prim and proper girl who participated in every reading they had in class and probably iron her clothes for fun. She was a teacher's pet and an over achiever, her hair always held back in a no fuss bun and her sweater vest cleaned of any lint, she was the person who asked unnecessary questions on a project and made everyone (even Mr. Jericho, Clary suspected) agitated.

Mr. Jericho sighed. "Anyone else besides Miss. Dryer?" His eyes scanned the room landing on Sebastian. "Ah, , why don't you tell us what _Romeo and Juliet_ was about, Mr. Verlac?"

"Um," Sebastian ran a hand through his black locks as he shrugged. "Wasn't it about some dude who fell for this chick and then killed himself?"

Mr. Jericho blinked before wincing. "Well, yes. Could anyone elaborate on what Mr. Verlac said?" Again no one's hands rose except for Bridget's. "Miss. Morgenstern? How about you?"

Clary felt her throat close up as everyone in the room turned to look at her. She had never been one to like attention; she was a painter, not the model. She was the person behind the portrait, not in it. "Um, well." She swallowed as she felt Jace's eyes digging into the side of her face, making her cheeks hotter. "It's about two star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, who's families are mortal enemies. It's a tragic love story because both of them end up killing themselves over their love for each other."

Sebastian nodded. "Exactly what I said."

Mr. Jericho ignored him as he smiled at Clary. "Very good, Miss. Morgenstern. That's exactly it. This is the next and last play we'll be reading." The crowd of teens made a sound of excitement. "Don't get your hopes up just yet. Because it's our last play, we'll be doing things a bit differently. Instead of reading it out loud in class, each of you will get a character and a set of lines to memorize with a partner. Then in front of all my A.P English classes you'll recite you're lines."

Clary felt a wave of nervousness go through her, she hated getting up in front of people and doing anything. Her body always shook or she stumbled over her words. Maybe she could skip—"And don't think about skipping, it will be worth half of your grade this card marking."

_Well, there goes that plan_, Clary thought.

Mr. Jericho rubbed his hands together in excitement. "So do we have any volunteer's to play any characters?" Again only one hand shot up. "Oh, c'mon guys this is one of the most famous plays ever written. Many famous actors and actresses over the years have played these characters, their apart of history!"

Jace rolled his eyes. "Well, then let's leave it to the actors and actresses who've played before us."

The group of teens yelled out their agreements as Jace smirked. Mr. Jericho nodded his head as he looked at Jace with his own smirk. "I see." The room went silent as Mr. Jericho studied his cocky student. "Well, you seem like a leader, Mr. Lightwood." Jace simply stared back at his teacher. "You seem like you're in your comfort zone. You're very prosaic, would you say?"

Jace smirked a little. "Sure, I guess you could say that." He nodded, his curls becoming more tousled and declious. "I'm more realistic, yeah."

"Well, let's take you out of that comfort zone. Shall we?" Mr. Jericho turned to the board and wrote down Jace's name then next to it he put _Romeo. _"Thank you so much for volunteering, Mr. Lightwood."

Jace slumped in his seat as Mr. Jericho smiled and went on. Clary couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as Jace turned and glared at her with a smirk on his face. "You did deserve it." She said with another giggle as Jace stood up straighter in his seat.

"Juliet, anyone?"

"I think Clary wants to do it, Mr. J." Jace said it with a clear voice never taking his eyes off of her as Clary let her mouth fall open.

"Miss. Morgenstern?"

Clary shook her head quickly, her red curls bounced around her head as she did. And she wished, not for the first time that day, that she had a hair-tie. "No, no, no." She tried to appease Mr. Jericho, who looked at her with a raised eye (much to her envy). "I can't! I'm horrible in front of crowds and I—"

Mr. Jericho smiled at her as she babbled. "Everyone's bad at things at first but with repetition it becomes easier."

Clary could feel herself losing the battle as Jace looked at her with a smirk. "Yeah, Clary ever heard of "practice makes perfect"?" Jace said with a larger smirked than before.

Clary ignored him as she focused on her teacher. "No, you see I can't—"

"Besides I've never heard you reading from any of our other plays before." That's because she hadn't. "I think it'd be great to have someone new play the lead role." Bridget made a snorting sound in the background.

Clary watched with dismay as he wrote her name down on the board and then put _Juliet_ next to it.

Karma was a bitch.

"Why would you do that!" Clary questioned in outrage as Mr. Jericho turned away from them and addressed the whole class.

She couldn't be Juliet; she couldn't stand up in front of all of Mr. Jericho's class and recite her set of lines. It was impossible, she couldn't possibly do it. And she certainly couldn't recite them while looking at Jace; he would be the biggest distraction of all. She would take one look at him, shining from the stage's lights, his hair would gleam with gold and his eyes would sparkle and she would completely forget her lines!

This was horrible!

"Because," Jace smirked at her as he turned in his seat. "Now you have no choice but to spend time with me and who knows we might just become," He paused as he smiled at her. "Friends. We're more alike than you think," He grinned at her showing off his endearing chip on his tooth and Clary wondered if he could hear her heart increase in tempo. "Partner."

She had done this all to herself.

She felt her head crack against her desk as she slammed her forehead against it, Jace's soft chuckle floating through her ears like a melody.

This plan was going to be a lot harder and easier than she had thought.

Somewhere, both the angels in heaven and the devils in hell were laughing at her.

* * *

Clary laughed again as her friends sat at their usually table in the corner of the lunch room. Simon had tried to shove two spoons up his nose, which had gotten stuck for a moment. He had a mini meltdown before Magnus had leaned over and simply ripped the spoons from his nostrils. Simon yelled and cupped his nose as he glared at Magnus, but the sparkling boy simply shrugged.

Maia laughed as she leaned, suspiciously, close to Jordan's shoulder as he chuckled too. "That was a smart move, Einstein."

Jordan shook his head, his surfer hair flipping with the motion. "Why? That's all I have to say."

Simon sniffed quickly as he pressed on his nose tenderly. Both his nostrils were red. "Clary told me I couldn't. I had to prove her wrong."

Jordan rolled his eyes as he unconsciously wrapped an arm around Maia's shoulders and pulled on one of her curls. "So if Clary said, hypothetically speaking, that you couldn't run faster than a speeding bullet. You'd spend your whole life trying to prove her wrong?"

Simon seemed to really take a moment to think about it. "Yes, but lucky for me I don't have to." His warm, brown eyes regarded the surfer boy with interest. His own shaggy "Bieber" hair hung endearingly in his eyes and very minute or two he would flip his head to the left to move them from obstructing his view.

Jordan raised an eyebrow honestly confused. "And why is this?" His expression was completely serious.

Simone responded with an equally serious expression. "Because I'm already faster than a speeding bullet."

Jordan frowned at him before nodding. "Okay, prove it."

Simon leaned forward as Jordan did the same. Magnus made a scoffing noise while rolling his sharp, feline-like eyes. "And here we go."

"I'll run all the way to the drinking fountain and back in under a second." Simon said with a smirk. "You ready to see me eat wind."

Jordan nodded and sat back with his arms crossed. "Alright, you're on."

Simon nodded as he turned his head toward the fountain that was all the way across the room, at least, 20 feet away. "Okay." He blinked once and turned back to the group of clustered teens. "You wanna see me do it again?"

Jordan tried to keep a straight face but couldn't as Clary and Maia burst into a fit of hysterics. Clary felt the air in her lungs leaving her as her stomach began to cramp. Maia clenched her stomach behind her as she laid her back fully against Jordan's chest. The teen had his arm curl around her waist now and was laughing too.

"Ahem." The group tried their best to stop laughing as they turned to the person who had made the interrupting noise. Aline and her "posse" stood with their hands on their hips. The laughter quieted instantly. "Well, if it isn't the band of misfits."

Maia smiled sickening sweet at Aline as she replied. "Well, if it isn't the band of sluts and their bitches."

Aline curled her lip up in disgust as she regarded the dark-skinned beauty. "If it isn't freak #1 the Lesbian. I'd tell you to use a condom when you're fooling around but you don't need one of those do you?"

Jordan rolled his eyes. "Don't you have a toilet to be throwing up in?"

Kaelie flipped her dyed locks over her shoulder as she smirked at the teen. "Don't you have some crack you should be snorting?"

Simon made a chocking noise that was a mix between a snort and groan. "Is there a reason you're even here?"

Seelie Queen spoke next, like they were all taking turns. "Yes, Rat Boy, there is." She smiled at the end of the table and Clary glanced over her shoulder to see if one of their minions was standing behind her. "We came to talk to Clary."

Gurl-with-the-mean-and-bitchy-attitude-say-what!

"Me?" Clary said pointing to herself timidly.

"Yeah," She said walking up to Clary with a grave she couldn't help but feel jealous about. Her long white pinkish tinted hair glossed and shined off the florescent light bulbs of the cafeteria. "Jace said you were cool. So we wanted to give you an invite to Sebastian's party tomorrow night." She placed the thin piece of parchment in Clary's hand. "Here's the address, hope to see you there." She said it was a wicked gleam in her eye, that Clary knew meant trouble.

Aline leaned over Seelie Queen and brought her mouth to Clary's ear. "Jace may say you're cool but we'll be the judge of that." She smirked as Clary swallowed thickly. "See you at the party, Clary. And remember it's a closed off party. No freak shows allowed." She smirked and wiggled her fingers as Clary had to swallow back the venom in her throat and nod. "Toodles."

The gang watched as the terrible trio and their fan club walked back toward the "popular" table. Magnus let out a heavy sigh. "Did I ever mention how much I hate them?"

_No_, Clary thought, _but then again. You don't need to._

They would all pay soon. The resistance was gaining recruits and soon they would storm the castle. But now they had to get their spy in. And right now she had to pass the first test of "popular" hood.

She had to attend the ball.

She looked up and locked eyes with Jace who smiled at her and lifted a hand to wave. She returned the smile as best she could and waved back softly.

Suddenly the piece of paper in Clary's hand felt like lead.

And a death wish.

* * *

**I know I was as disappointed as you when I used the cliché Romeo and Juliet school scenario. But it's the easiest to write about and since the plot is some-what complex I thought I'd go the easy route.**

**Don't judge me!**

**Jace: I judged you.**

**Shut up, Jace!**

**Please review! Oh! And while you're at it tell me your favorite color?**

**Jace: Green and red**

**No one cares, Jace**

**Jace: *smirks* Yes, they do.**

…**.dang you….**


	4. The Rose

**I'VE DONE IT! I'VE GOT RID OF THE WRITER'S BLOCK! MY HANDS ARE ON FIRE NOW!**

**ALL RIGHTS GO TO CASSANDRA CLARE! WHOAAAAAA, GO CASSANDRA CLARE!**

* * *

The next morning Clary caught herself looking in the mirror longer than usual. Today, Isabelle had set out to conquer a new horizon and had straightened every strand of flaming red hair. It fell like a fiery curtain down her back and lightly brushed the sides of her cheeks.

She didn't overall _hate _the look either.

Her make-up was simple, as was the green army jacket she wore over her paint spattered tank top and skinny jeans. Isabelle and Magnus had even opted to let her wear her new pair of white oxfords; she felt more like herself today, than she did yesterday.

Isabelle stood back and put her hand to her chin, cocking her head to the side as she stared at Clary who stood awkwardly in front of her. Magnus, also, wore a face of deep contemplation. The clock in the corner of her room ticked loudly as both fashionista's cocked their heads in the opposite direction at the same time.

"I have to say," Magnus paused as if for dramatic effect, like he needed it, today he was wearing electric blue skinny jeans and eye shadow to match. Plus, Clary was pretty sure, when they had first arrived, she had swallowed a sparkle or two when she hugged Magnus. "I really like this look."

Isabelle's hard expression softened into a grin. "My thoughts exactly."

"It's very—" Magnus started.

"Chic with a mixture of a—" Isabelle said as she turned to Magnus with excitement in her eyes, her midnight black hair pulled up high on top of her head.

"Laid back nonchalance with just a hint of—"

"Old fashion flare."

Isabelle and Magnus both smiled at each other before pulling the other into a tight hug. "It's perfect!" They yelled.

"Darling, you are absolutely brilliant!" Magnus said as he leaned in to kiss both Isabelle's cheeks.

The exotic beauty smirked as she turned each cheek and lightly placed one back on Magnus's. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"I know."

They both laughed as Clary watched in amused horror. Isabelle and Magnus had grown closer as the days grew longer. It was a no brainer seeing as they were the only two into the group who even bothered to be fashion forward. Or took the time to learn the new trends; it was only fitting they would hit it off, though Clary had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that never was a good sign.

She shook it off as she cleared her throat, grabbing both the sparkling boy and gorgeous girl's attention. "I just want you to know, that was super creepy." Clary said with a hand on her denim clad hip. "I was waiting for one of your heads to turn in a complete 360 next."

Magnus chuckled before lifting his messenger bag and threw Clary her winter pea coat. She put it on in a haste following the two teens out her bedroom door and down the hallway to her kitchen, where Simon sat at her dining room table.

Simon had, suspiciously, decided to leave for her house 30 minutes earlier. Something he had never done before, usually he got to her house only a few moments before the warning bell in their school and barely could make it through the busy streets to get to their school on time. Clary had a sneaking suspicion that she knew what had him in such a tizzy.

And her name was Izzy.

Clary laughed out loud and ignored everyone when they turned to give her an odd look as she walked to the fruit basket on the table and grabbed her morning apple. She slightly wrinkled her nose as she turned to look at Simon, he had swept his hair away from his face (something she had always urged him to do but he never did) giving him a boyishly handsome complexion. His brown eyes were warm and trusting. He was your typical boy next door.

Clary wrinkled her nose further.

Your typical boy next door who had used _way _too much Axe.

She was slightly worried about Simon. He was sweet and almost, naïve, in a way. He was the boy that you committed too. He was the boy who bought you flowers because he could or made you soup when you were sick; the type that would sit with you all day and watch bad, girly flicks because it made you happy. He was every parent's fantasy for their daughter; handsome, smart, kind.

He was an all American good boy, who just needed to find that all American good girl.

Isabelle Lightwood was **not **that girl.

She was a vixen. She was a man eater. Not to get Clary wrong, she liked Isabelle a lot. She thought of Isabelle as her friend in an odd sort of way. She really was, sort of, like the first girl best friend Clary had ever had. But she never wanted Simon to get hurt and that's all Isabelle could do to him.

Hurt him.

She was the type of girl who took a guy for the ride of his life, only to have the lease expire too soon. She would chew you up and spit you out and still have you begging for more. She was beautiful, dark and complex. Isabelle had walls no one could cut down; she put them up to protect herself. And she would rather hurt someone else before she let them get to her.

All she would do was break Simon's heart.

And that was all it would take to break Clary's.

Simon clapped his hands together and jumped from the dinner table. He swept his eyes over Clary quickly and she did a playful twirl as Simon let out a whistle. "You're looking mighty fine, Ms. Morgenstern." Simon said in his knock-off country voice. "Jace Lightwood isn't going to be able to resist."

Clary could feel Isabelle's eyes digging into her back. Maybe, she was wrong. Maybe Isabelle was falling for the all-American-boy charm after all. She quickly glanced at her exotic friend over her shoulder; her face was stone giving nothing away. But she knew; sharing a quick glance with Magnus was all it took. Maybe, they could work out.

After all, didn't they say opposites attracted?

Clary smirked as she buttoned up her coat. "I'm only trying to befriend him, not seduce him."

Simon got a wicked gleam in his brown eyes as he moved closer to her. "You know, we could use that to our advantage—"

"No."

"Just hear me out—""

"No."

"Clary—"

She turned back toward Simon her hand on the front door knob. "Simon," She gave him a hard look, trying to convey the mixed feelings see had about this already. "No."

Isabelle let out a wicked, humorless, laugh as she moved past Simon and toward Clary. "Isn't it all the same thing anyway?"

Clary frowned as she watched Isabelle and Magnus walk toward the Lightwood's SUV, trying her best not to let what she had said bury its way into her brain. She didn't want that seed to plant and grow there.

She sighed as Simon moved passed her and waited on the front step for her to finish locking the door before walking together with their heads down. Clary sighed and sucked in a deep breath before sending herself into a fit of coughs. She waved her hand in front of her face as she winced at Simon. "When you got up this morning, what look were you going for?"

Simon gave her a wary look. "I don't know. Handsome, cool, suave, successful."

"Overpowering?"

Simon frowned at her question. "What? No."

Clary smiled as they reached the van, Eric lay in the back totally and completely passed out. "Well, that's all I'm getting from you right now." Simon looked at her confused. "How much Axe did you put on? Enough to cover a continent?"

A rogue blush spread out on Simon's cheeks as he lifted his blue button down shirt and sniffed it. "No!" He said in a panic. "I didn't know how I was supposed to put it on so I shook it; a little too hard I suppose because the top flew off and the next thing I knew I was standing in a puddle of 30 dollars worth of Axe."

Clary threw her head back and laughed as Simon pulled away from the curb, keeping the windows down the entire ride to school.

* * *

Clary felt like a large rock had taken refuge in her stomach, all day she had been trying to make the clock go by slower. To make the minutes go by just a second slower, to make the inevitable come a little later. After sitting for an hour in her physiology class, letting all the information about the respiratory system go through one ear and out the other; she moved on to her A.P Psychology, where she sat between the Lightwoods and chatted lightly with them; before disappearing into her own world, where angels soared and flew. She could be anything, do anything.

All she needed was this blank canvas in front of her; all that white just begging to be colored with her own form of words. This was her diary; this was where her dreams took flight. Clary let her eyes close, a small smile taking over her face as she let her fingers speak for her. Say the things she couldn't bring herself to think about; couldn't bring herself to even consider.

Her fingers twitched and twirled as her hand danced across the sheet of paper before her. This was art; this was where she could be herself. This was…

Jace.

Clary let out a squeal before she snapped the gold pastel in her hand. This wasn't right; this wasn't what she had been picturing. This was Jace. This wasn't her dreams…this was her nightmare.

Before her, colored golden and sharpened with black charcoal outlines, was Jace Lightwood.

Her enemy.

Her target.

Her confusion.

What was her mind trying to tell her? That this whole plan was wrong? Was that why he has harsher and dark with black? Or was that his own demons she had colored in? Did her mind see something her eyes didn't? Was it saying that he wasn't all bad but also good? Is that why she had made half his face in gold with that sweet smile he had flashed at her once, while the other held that devilish smirk that quickened her heart beat?

Or maybe it was absolutely nothing?

That feeling in her stomach told her it was something. But not something good.

Clary groaned and let her head hit the desk, the echoing bang alerted others of her uncomfortable position but she couldn't find herself to care.

And just like that, Jace had ruined her art class.

Maybe her painting class would be better.

* * *

Her painting class hadn't been any better.

She had spent the whole hour staring angrily at the canvas, it was plain and blank. She was having serious artist block, but that was only because she had hindered her abilities. She silently cursed Jace Lightwood and his chiseled features. He was the perfect model, which was the only reason she was so keen on drawing him.

Right?

Needless, to say by the time 5th hour came along Clary was agitated and annoyed. She stomped toward her seat in the very back of the room and put her head in her hands. She was angry at Jace but not for a reason where she could actually be mad _at_ him. She raked through her head over and over again just trying to think of some reason, other than the fact that he was the only thing she could draw, to be mad at him about before she shook her head.

She wasn't acting like herself at all. She was acting like Aline or Kaelie, trying to think of something just so they could be mad at their boyfriends. What had gotten into her? She was slowly going out of her mind! They hadn't even started to go undercover yet and already she was cracking under the pressure.

"There's my favorite, Gingersnap." Clary whipped her head up and glared, which took Jace completely by surprise because he took a moment to blink before he shook his head fast. "I meant there's my favorite, Juliet." His uncertain face disappeared in an instant as he took his seat in front of her.

Clary couldn't believe he actually called her something other than an insulting endearment, she guessed that last statement was as close to an apology as she was ever going to get. She couldn't believe he took it back. Obvious, neither could Alec as he slowly sat down to Clary's left blinking. She didn't know exactly want to say as all the anger she had felt earlier drained from her body. She shook her head, in an effort to clear it, her silky red hair moving with the motion. She groaned before putting her head in her hands again. "I'm sorry, it's not you. I'm just not having the best day."

She felt a light tugging on one of her red strands; spreading her fingers apart she looked through them at Jace. He smiled at her softly and she felt that jump in her heart again as it started to try to climb up her chest. His blonde curls seemed even more unruly today and her fingers twitched with a need to straighten his curly loops. "Well, I'm here now. So it's only bound to get better."

Clary let out a laugh before letting her fingers drop completely from her face. "Yeah, thanks for the laugh. I needed it."

Jace glared at her with that devilish smirk, one corner of his lips pulled up higher than the other. "I wasn't kidding."

Clary leaned in, the buttons of her jacket digging into her stomach from the force she was putting on the desk in front of her. "I know," She flashed Jace her own smirk, not being able to raise her eyebrow; she twitched it at him instead. "That's what made it so funny."

Alec let out a roar of laughter beside her as Jace leaned into her slightly, she pulled back feeling him staring deep into her eyes. Her skin began to erupt in goose bumps as her body unconsciously responded to him. He looked like he was getting ready to say something, not important but definitely cocky, as he lifted an eyebrow before he stopped.

His mouth slowly began to close as his eyes seemed to drink her in. He reached a hand out and lightly let one of her fiery red strands glide across the palm. He stared at the strand transfixed, like it held all the world's secrets. "You straighten your hair."

"Huh?" Clary said breathlessly. Jace was so beautiful; he captivated her as he brought his unnatural eyes up to meet hers.

One side of his mouth pulled up, not in a smirk, but in a small grin; giving her a peak at the endearing chip on one of his pearly white teeth. "Your hair." He watched her as the strand fell back against her cheek. "You straightened it."

Clary felt the blush creeping up her face, knowing she was turning as red as a tomato in front of the most gorgeous man in, perhaps, all the world made her face even hotter. "Um," She cleared her throat before she started to twist her fingers nervously together in her lap. "Yeah, thought I'd try something new for a change."

"Change is always good." Jace smiled at her a little more devilishly now. "But I find it's never as good as the original."

"Alright, Class!" Mr. Jericho clapped his hands together, alerting the room he was about to start the lesson and making Clary jump in her seat. She shot him a look before returning her stare back at Jace, who threw her a quick wink before turning around.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus.

Her heart may have melted a little.

Along with her brain.

"Happy Friday. " Mr. Jericho said with a large smile on his face as he straightened his tailored vest. "Today's an exciting day. Not only is it the last day before Christmas Break—"The class let out an excited cheer. "It's also the day you'll be getting assigned your lines for the Romeo and Juliet reciting." The class's cheers turned into groans and Mr. Jericho let out a laugh. "Oh, it not so bad—"

"It's horrible." Sebastian said as he dramatically let his head fall onto the desk in front of him.

Mr. Jericho shook him off as he flashed a handsome smile. "Nonsense, it's going to be fun!" He turned and walked to the back of his desk grabbing a handful of sheets of paper and looking far too enthusiastic to be safe. "When I say you're character, come up and retrieve your lines." He glanced down quickly before lifting his head with a over-bearing smile. "Come on down, Romeo."

Jace stood in his seat and glided to the front of the room, Sebastian let out a wolf whistle as Jace shot him the finger behind Mr. Jericho's back.

"Juliet."

Clary stared at the desk in front of her in fright, somehow accepting her lines made it all the more real. She could feel her stomach dropping and she began to feel hot, like a spotlight was being shined right on her head. She could feel all the eyes in the class digging into her, from girls who wished they had raised their hands to males who looked at her with contempt.

Suddenly, being invisible didn't seem so bad anymore.

She lifted herself from her seat wondering why Mr. Jericho hadn't called her name again, seeing as she had taken at least a minute to actually rise out of her seat. Just as she was about to accept her fate, a sheet of paper fluttered onto her desk. She frowned at it for a moment actually contemplating that the paper had floated all the way from Mr. Jericho's hands and on to her desk.

She sat dumbfounded before she looked up at Jace, who gave her a quick smile and twisted in his seat. His back was no less attractive than his face as she watched the cords of his muscles tense before relaxing before tensing again.

She wondered absentmindedly what had him in such distress as she looked down at her line; before her eyes widened.

Act 1, Scene 5

It glared at her from where it sat in be bold letters on the top of her page. In the number of lines, their weren't much, only a few before Juliet and Romeo part but first…they kiss.

Twice.

She wouldn't have to kiss Jace?

Would she?

Was the school legally allowed to do that?

Why did the thought of kissing Jace make her excited and nervous all at the same time?

She was in trouble now.

Jace turned in his seat, she could feel his unusual eyes digging into her but she refused to lift her head and meet his gaze. Would he be disgusted? Did he regret making her his partner?

"Are you trying to stare a hole through the page or just trying to make the sheet spontaneously combust with your mind?" Jace's voice rained over her like sugar and sank deep into her pores like a drug exciting her blood and making her heart pound.

She lifted her head slowly letting the waterfall of red hair move away from her face. He was smirking at her but something in his gaze looked forced, there was a sharpness in his eyes she had never seen before. I made him look human.

Clary timidly smiled, setting her hands into fists in her lap to keep them from shaking. "I have to go with the second option."

Jace dropped him smirk for a moment, blankness took over his face like a wall was being destroyed in his mind, letting out an emotion that he hadn't meant too. He quickly covered it up with his trademark smirk as he leaned back in his desk. "Ah, well it won't be that bad. Many girls would love to be in the position you now find yourself in."

She had seen the sharpness, she could recognize it now. Jace may have tried to block it out he couldn't. She saw the emotion that had flickered across his face.

Hurt.

She, Clary Morgenstern, had wounded him, Jace Lightwood. She couldn't help but feel a quick strike of thrill go through her.

The feeling made her so giddy she laughed, which probably wounded Jace's ego more. That thought made her laugh even harder. Jace looked at her a moment in confusion before replying a bit flatly and frostily. "I see nothing funny about this and I know funny."

Clary took a shaky breath as she put her hand to her heaving chest, Jace's eyes followed it making her sputter and choke before quickly dropping her palm. His eyes turned back to her with a heat she hadn't expected. "That's not why I'm laughing." Clary barely mumbled out as she was struck once again by the beauty that was Jace.

Jace frowned and tilted his head a little, something she noticed he did quite often when he was confused. "What?"

Clary swallowed before clearing her throat. "I wasn't laughing at what you said. I just thought of something, that's all."

Jace's eyebrows stayed furrowed. "And what was this "thought" that sent you into flying hysterics?"

Clary shook her head with vigor. No way was she telling him what she thought, she'd find herself in quite a pickle if she did. Instead of answering him she dropped her head and let her hair make a curtain between them. "It's nothing."

"Well, it seemed to be something."

"It's not important."

There was a pause as Jace let out a breath, it make her hair flutter and drift before settling back on top of her head. "Everything you think about is important."

It wasn't his words, odd in their own way, that made Clary lift her head. No, it was the softness of his tone and feeling of his eyes that made her do it. His stare had dropped to her hands that sat in front of her. Her pale skin flawed with calluses from her pencils and the colorful splatters of paint.

"Now, that everyone has their lines. I'd like you to meet with your fellow cast mates to go over them." Mr. Jericho said as he cut through Clary's clouded brain. "Recite them as much as you can, meet after school at any free time you have to make sure you know them by heart."

Sebastion frowned. "Wait, are you saying that this is homework? Like for over break?"

Mr. Jericho smiled. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

The class let out another groan as the bell went off. Clary shoved the paper into her backpack without any regard before standing and slinging it onto her shoulder. She was about to head for the door when she felt a hand on her arm.

Static shocks shot up her arm as Jace quickly dropped his hand. Did he feel it too? Those sparks? Or was it all wishful thinking?

Jace handed her his phone, slinging his own much less filled, backpack over his shoulder. "Put your number in."

She did it mechanically and without much thought as she handed it back to him. "So, you'll text me when we can meet to recite the lines." She tried to sound nonchalant about it, but she could hear the tremor in her voice at the thought of practicing kissing Jace.

He threw a look over his shoulder at her as he headed for the door. "You'll see."

And with a wink, he was gone leaving her standing confused and hormones out of whack.

What did he even mean?

* * *

She found out what he had meant when she saw Isabelle strutting toward her locker after school. She was exchanging her pastels with psych book seeing as she had a pound of homework to do. She frowned into her cluttered locker thinking of her foggy state of mind when Jace was around.

How was she supposed to get under his skin when he was in the process of getting under hers? He was the enemy; she was supposed to hate him. She had before.

Hadn't she?

Why was it that when she was standing alone her heart could agree with her mind on the matter of Jace Lightwood. He had done so much evil, to good people. He had hurt her friends and watched as they were ripped apart. She tried to gather the images of Jace hurting her friend in the front of her mind, fuel her need for vengeance. But when she thought about it, she couldn't actually think of a time when Jace had assaulted her friends. She had seen Aline, Kaelie and Seelie do it time and time again and not to forget Sebastian, who just this morning slammed Simon into his own locker.

Jace ad just sort of watched, laughing with them. But that was just as wrong, doing nothing was the same as bullying. But if that was the case, she should have been extracting revenge on Isabelle and Alec too. Her mind and her heart were getting jumbled together; it was leaving her confused and empty.

She needed to talk to Simon about the whole plan thing.

"Hey," Isabelle said with a smirk as she handed Clary a white sheet of paper. "Nice work." She gave her a sly wink before placing something soft and fragile in her hand.

Clary frowned in confusion as she flipped the plain white paper in her fingers over, feeling her heart leap out of her chest and her stomach drop to her feet filling with those foreign butterflies that she had never felt before.

_My Juliet, will thou meet me? Will thee accept a Montague's offer? No, will thee accept mine offer? I have not a name but like thy rose, I shall always be thy's._

_Your darling, handsome, and over-all wonderful, _

_Romeo._

_P.S Nurse will tell you all you need to know._

"If you call me, Nurse, I will hurt you."

Clary laughed at Isabelle as she lifted the deep, red rose to her face and breathed deeply. It was fresh and lovely, she felt her heart quicken as she smiled softly.

She grinned at Isabelle, who smiled back.

Maybe, talking to Simon about the whole plan thing could wait.

* * *

**Thy: Your**

**Thee: You**

**Thou: You**

**REVIEW! PLEAAAASSSSEEE!**


	5. New Year's

**Hey everyone! Thank you all for reviewing and I'd like to give special shoutout to my new friend: RosiePosieRW! She'll be writing and publishing her own fanfic soon, so go check it out. It's bound to be a great one. Also, she is co-writing one with LindyL so if you like anime/manga go look at that too.**

**To all you Clace lovers out there, this is for you! **

**Clace fluff is guaranteed!**

**Disclamier: Cassandra Clare is the all powerful being that made all my favorite characters. And Jace…she also gets to keep Jace.**

* * *

When Clary woke up the next morning still clenching the rose Jace had given her the day before she knew she was in deep trouble. Especially since getting close to him wasn't really doing much for her; she hadn't learned any Intel about the enemy and her first test was to be the party Sebastian was throwing, it had been moved to New Year's Day seeing as his parents decided to post pone their ski trip until then, and she still felt like she was going to throw up.

She felt like her day was mostly a dream as the hours ticked by until her meeting with Jace to run over lines. It passed so quickly, in fact, one moment it seemed she was sitting at her kitchen table talking happily with Luke and the next she was walking down the cold sidewalk.

Clary took a breath before fiddling, yet again, with the seam of her shirt. She felt her stomach bunch with nerves as she took a shaky breath. She could do this, she'd be fine. It was just like if she was going to see Simon or if she was studying with Isabelle.

Only she wasn't studying with Isabelle. She was studying her lines with Jace.

Lines that had kissing scenes and that had feelings.

Feelings that she wasn't supposed to have for Jace.

Looming in front of her was a large, crisp, white mansion on the upper east side of Manhattan. She suddenly felt extremely underdressed and extremely close to having a heart attack.

Her stomach fluttered with excitement and cramped with nerves. She felt all over the place as she ran her hand through her natural curls once more and took a breath. She'd just be like The Little Engine That Could.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

She repeated the motto in her head as she walked uncertainly up the large stone steps, tripping on three, and knocking on the front door.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

See? She could do this; Clary smiled to herself and took a breath. It was a bittersweet Saturday seeing as Mr. Sun sometimes peaked out through the scattered clouds before hiding away again. The wind was cold and harsh as it whipped against her face and twisted the curly strands of hair around her head. She watched her curls dance a seductive waltz with the swaying wind, softening the sharp breeze. It swirled around her head like fire.

"Hello."

Clary whipped around to find a tall, intimidating woman standing in the doorway, everything about her screamed Isabelle and Clary knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this woman had to be Alec and Isabelle's mother. She had a quizzical look on her face, possibly wondering who this random girl was and what she was doing on her doorstep.

"Hi," Clary smiled, as friendly as the nausea in her stomach would allow, with a small wave of her hand. "Um," She tried to tame the dancing curls as she brushed a couple strands behind her ear. "I'm here to see Jace. We're supposed to practice lines for our A.P English class?" She should have sounded more certain, but the statement came out more like a question.

The dark haired queen furrowed her eyebrows and stared at her with even more confusion. Clary couldn't blame her really; she probably never had girls, covered in oil paint and a baggy t-shirt, come looking for her adopted son. "Oh." She stepped aside allowing Clary to walk by her and exit the cold outside world, which was filling with white. Clary wanted to watch the snowflakes fall but knew Mrs. Lightwood already thought she was out of place enough as it was.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

She took in the large home around her. Everything seemed expensive and breakable, Clary felt overly clumsy all of a sudden; like if she took even one step she was bound to break something. It was a crisp clean home that screamed seriousness. Plus everything looked very, very white; Clary curled her hands into fists inevitably crumbling the paper with her lines for class in her hands. She felt dirty and rotten and knew that if she even touched anything in the large, foreboding home she would leave a dirty fingerprint behind.

"I believe Jace is in his room." Mrs. Lightwood said in a cool tone as if she had better things to be doing than leading another girl to her son's bedroom. Clary wanted to scream at her and tell her that she wasn't here for that kind of "studying". She had no intention of trying to investigate anything on Jace.

Especially his mouth.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

Mrs. Lightwood led her up a set of stairs and down a seemingly endless hallway, before stopping at a door not two steps away from the staircase they had just climbed. Loud hip hop music pounded through the speakers of whoever's room they were in front of. Mrs. Lightwood knocked loud on the wooden door. "Isabelle, turn that music down. This is the last time I'll ask you to do it."

She didn't wait to see if her daughter did as she was told before she moved down the hallway again, pictures of Jace, Alec, Isabelle and another little boy hung on the wall. In one picture, Alec was eating an ice cream cone; the cool, creamy dessert melting down the sides of the cone and onto his hand while Jace stood beside him; his face covered in melting, sticky ice cream. There was a big smile on both boy's faces, each of their small arms were hung around the other's shoulders.

It was almost surreal to see Jace like that. Imperfect, with ice cream dripping down his face and a huge smile gracing his mouth; not the smirk she had grown so used to. A sick feeling settled in her stomach, this plan was making her feel guilty now. Before Jace had been a King, he had been so unreachable that he had seemed like a God. But this Jace, the one who was happy to be eating ice cream with his brother and smearing it all over his mouth, that Jace was human. So human, she could touch him; hold him close.

That was the type of Jace, all the girlfriends he ever had, thought they could make him. A Jace that could be loved and could love in return. But that wasn't possible right? He was foul, a beast! He had treated her friends wrongly, that's why she was doing all this. Wasn't she? Why did this plan suddenly feel like an excuse just to get close to him? Why did she suddenly feel—

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

Mrs. Lightwood stopped abruptly causing Clary to almost run right into her. She knocked, not as loudly as she had on Isabelle's door, but loud enough to be heard. "Jace, you have a guest. Are you decent?"

There was a laugh on the other end of the door. "Maryse, I am better than decent." The door pulled open with a squeak and Jace's golden form took up the entire frame, his trademark smirk was perfectly in place as he regarded his adopted mother with disinterest and arrogance. "You, of all people, should know that by now."

Maryse gave her son a raised eyebrow and a small sarcastic smile. "Uh huh, I certainly know _something_ by now." She gave Clary a small smile, the first she had received since arriving here. "Dinner will be ready at around 5, if you'd like to stay."

She smiled back, eager to get out of Maryse's hair and then out of this breakable house. "No, that's alright. I promised my mom I'd eat with her tonight. Thank you, though."

Maryse gave her a nod of her head before giving Jace a pointed look. "Have fun _studying _your _lines_." She gave another smile to Clary before looking back at her son, as if trying to pound the unspoken command into his hormonal teenage brain. "And keep the door open." She turned on her heel and walked with as much elegance as she had before as she stopped to pound on her daughter's door again.

Clary didn't see any further than that as she felt a hand curl around her arm and pull her in. She stood in a spotless room. Jace must have had an OCD or something, because there wasn't a speck of dust on the plain dresser or desk he had in his room. In fact, Jace didn't even have pictures in his room. Nothing to show memories or past experiences; his room looked so different than her room which had photos of her, Simon, Maia, Jordan and Magnus all over the walls and dresser. Everything about his room was very plain, so much different than he himself was. He looked so odd standing in his room, being the most colorful thing in the whole space.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

Jace gave her a devilish smile before closing the door so much that there was only a sliver of space between the wood and the frame. "So, Juliet, are you ready to rehearse?"

Clary gave a stiff smile as she followed it with a nod, taking the crinkled paper from her hand and flattening it on her knee she tried to avoid the thought that she was in Jace's room totally alone, with the door practically closed. She really wished she had a paper bag to breath into, she was pretty sure she was about to hyperventilate.

She stood uncertainly in Jace's room as he sat on his bed, which she was certain must have been comfortable. She wondered absentmindedly if he slept in pajamas or just his boxers, then she wondered if he even wore boxers as underwear and then she blushed red like a tomato; all in that order. Jace's abnormally beautiful eyes were trained on her as he smiled like he knew what she was thinking as he patted the space beside him on the bed. "It's alright, Clary, I don't bite."

She felt herself smile and politely take a step toward where he was lounging as if he didn't have a care in the world. She sat as far away from him as possible on the— of course, just as she suspected—comfortable bed and perched rim rod straight on the edge. She looked at everything but him as she felt the air around them begin to become uncomfortable; but if Jace felt the change he gave indication as he simply lifted his own sheet and read the words in a husky, melodic tone.

" _If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."_ Jace looked at Clary as he spoke; transporting her easily into the world of Capulet's and Montague's; of two star-crossed lovers bound to be separated for all eternity. His lips looked soft like the petals of the rose he had given her and his fingers looked strong and purposeful as they inched across the plain white bed spread toward her.

Clary felt herself give herself to the role of Juliet before she really knew what she was supposed to be doing. Maybe, this wouldn't be so hard to accomplish with Jace; he made it so easy. "_Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss_." Clary felt the smirk on her face before she really knew it was there as Jace gave her a raise of his golden eyebrow and an easy smile. And suddenly that little boy was in her mind, the boy who had ice cream all over his face and a big, true smile on his lips.

_I think I can._

_I think I can._

Jace seemed to shine like an angel as his tawny colored eyes quickly scanned over his lines and looked back up at her. Scooting a little closer, he spoke with ease and perfection; like he had been born to play Romeo. _"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"_

"_Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."_ Clary scooted back a little, a playful smile etched on her face.

"_O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." _Jace said taking a large leap closer to her, invading her personal space bubble with his wonderful scent.

_I know I can't._

_I know I can't._

Clary felt herself swallow as she blinked and stumbled over her next few lines. _"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."_

Jace seemed to swallow too as his voice turned low and husky. Clary thought she heard his voice waiver slightly and could swear she was watching the pulse on his neck accelerate. "_Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." _Jace practically whispered the words against her face as he brought his face closer to hers.

His lips would be against hers soon, she would know if they were as soft as they looked. She would know if he kissed like a true man; dominating and powerful or if he would surrender that role to her. She would know if his hands would cup her face tenderly or if they would crush her to his chest; like he wanted to become one person with her. She watched as his eyes fluttered closed, the golden of his stare disappearing as his head faltered a moment before he took a breath and moved even closer. The looping and glowing curls around his head fell forward and brushed her cheek slightly. And then she was falling with a loud thump onto the ground as Jace leaned over his bed with concerned eyes to watch her.

"Clary!" He leaped from his spot on the bed and crouched above her. She felt the embarrassment bunch in her stomach as she rubbed her head from where she had banged it against his wall. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, solemnly. Why couldn't she do it? Why couldn't she just kiss him? Her stomach tightened with nerves just at the thought. Because she was afraid; of getting hurt, of exactly what she was going to do to him. She dropped her face into her hands. "God, I'm such an idiot."

Jace let out a light laugh as he softly pulled her hands from her face. "Clary, I have an honest question for you." She looked at Jace, whose concerned eyes were staring deep into her mind as if trying to pull the truth out of her. "Have you ever been kissed before or kissed anyone before?"

Again wave of mortification swept over her as she felt her face begin to heat with embarrassment, her face was turning red, she had no doubt, and the thought of how foolish she probably looked made her blush hotter. "Well," She started before cutting off as she searched Jace's eyes a moment. Was this some kind of ploy so he could tear her down; but the look in his eyes seemed genuine as she continued. "I kissed Simon once."

It had been simply platonic. They had decided to see what it would feel like; it had been awkward for both of them. Simon's lips had been too wet and Clary had been too stiff. They had agreed never to do it again and that they should just stick to kissing other people instead; the agreement had both made them laugh.

She watched as something dark passed over Jace's face before he scowled. "Rat Boy does not count. So, you haven't kissed anyone before?"

She frowned. "I told you. I kissed Simon." Well, Simon had actually kissed her but that didn't seem necessary to say.

"I mean a _real _kiss."

Clary crossed her arms over her chest and scowled up at Jace. She didn't like what he was insinuating. She had kissed Simon, she still remembered his gangly arms trying to hold her but he had held her too delicately and she remember his breath had smelt like the chocolate peppermints they had both ate. "I know what a real kiss is. And I told you I _really _kissed Simon."

"And I told you that _really _doesn't count." Jace said as his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Then what do you even mean?" Clary said throwing her arms out and hitting the wall behind her.

Jace quickly got closer to her, stopping her flaring arms and staring deep into her eyes. "I mean the way Romeo kisses Juliet. When there's feeling and touching, when all the air leaves your chest and your heart starts to beat really fast." He paused a moment as he looked down at Clary's lips that tingled with the sensation of him watching her. They parted under his watched gaze and released a breath that had him faltering again. He blinked and looked back into her eyes, one arm braced against the wall; the other caging her in to the floor as he leaned into her. "A kiss that leaves you aching for more and feeling like if you don't get it you might just die. That's the kind of kiss, I mean. A _real _kiss."

"Those don't exist."

"Sure they do."

Clary felt her heart leaping up her throat as she watched Jace swallow; the pulse on his neck pounding in rhythm with her heart. "Have you ever had a realkiss?" She said in a breathless tone, like she had been running a mile before she started talking.

"No," He answered honestly, not moving further away from her or closing the distance that plagued their separated lips either. "But…" He trailed off like he really didn't know what to say next. His made a face of astonishment like he ws bewildered by that simple fact.

She sat up straighter bringing her face closer to his; Jace's eyes were taking up all she could see, surrounding her in a bath of golden light. "Then I guess we're even." She whispered the words, her lips so close to brushing his as Jace's eyes fluttered closed.

"Clary, I—"

"Jace, I told you—" Maryse pushed the door open as she entered the room, taking in Clary's and Jace's position on the floor next to his bed. Clary felt her face turn beet red as she pushed Jace back and jumped to her feet, twisting her fingers together and combing her hair behind her ears. Maryse looked from her son to Clary in, what looked to be, astonishment. "Dinner's ready."

Clary cleared her throat and immediately started for the door. The mortification she felt was the strongest it had been all day. She knew she would never be showing her face in the Lightwood home again as she scampered past Maryse and ran towards the front door. Briefly excusing herself and thanking Maryse for letting her into her lovely home and wishing her a Merry Christmas.

She didn't say goodbye to Jace.

She didn't think about the almost kiss.

And she would never again think about what a _real _kiss actually was.

And wouldn't wonder if Jace had wanted to try to experience that with her.

* * *

Clary felt her stomach fall to her heel clad feet, which both Magnus and Isabelle has forced her into earlier, as she took in the filled room. She clenched her car keys tightly and searched for the two familiar faces that were bound to be here. Isabelle had told her that she would meet her at Sebastian's party, seeing as she had to go early and set up, plus no one was supposed to know they saw each other outside of school.

At least, not yet.

She still had to befriend Jace first than she could get "close" to the Lightwoods.

She pulled the second skin, Isabelle called a skirt, down so she wouldn't feel the cool air of winter on the back of her thighs, but it was in vain. She sighed before crossing her arms over her chest and finally moved through the room, silently cursing Isabelle for making her dress like she was trying to impress someone.

She almost slapped her palm to her head; she _was_ trying to impress someone. Why she kept forgetting her role in this whole plan, was beyond her! How was she supposed to take down the "populars" if she couldn't remember her role as Robin Hood?

She bit her lip tasting the deep red lipstick Magnus had forced on her lips, her bouncing curls had been softened by a curling iron and a lot of hairspray. She felt out of her element, totally and completely lost. She wasn't meant to play this role; she couldn't play the powerful seductress. She was an artist, not an actress. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head she turned back to the front door; she would have to tell them to find a new way to fight King Jace and his army. This person wasn't her; it just couldn't be.

"Clary!" She barely heard her name above the booming beat and the chatter of drunken high schoolers. She mentally scolded herself for not retreating sooner as she squinted through the foggy, sticky air filled with lustful grinding teens and pot smoke. Isabelle was gliding toward her with a grace that shouldn't have been possible in 7 inch heels, her black hair shined off the reflecting strobe lights as she moved forward. The crowd Clary had just been pushing to get through seemed to part like the red sea for her as she walked. Males watched her pass with greedy eyes as the air become thicker with teenage hormones. "Where are you going?"

Clary opened her mouth, trying to think of a way to explain to her the conflicting emotions she felt. Her battling conscience and vengeance; the need to do what was right and what she wanted, she needed to explain the demons that wagged war inside her, slowly ripping her apart. But all that seemed to come out was: "Umm,"

Isabelle's dark eyes glanced beyond Clary's shoulder where the open front door let in a gust of cold winter air. "The party just started." She said giving Clary a knowing look as she grabbed her arm, pulling her away from her only escape. "Jace is looking for you."

"He is?" Clary said astonished. Why would he want to see her? What was his sudden interest in her? They had gone to the same school since kindergarten, why was it she seemed to be a shiny new toy to him now?

She tried not to think about the way he had faltered as he had leaned closer to her; tried not to think about the way he fluttered his eyes closed as he was about to kiss her or the way his breath had felt as it had fanned her face. She wouldn't think about the words he'd said that had punched a hole in her stomach and made her feel brave for a moment like she could actually kiss him back. She couldn't think of those things because they would break her.

It would shatter everything.

Isabelle smirked, one side of her plump glossed lips pulling up. "Yep, you're all he seems to be able to talk about."

Clary blinked and tried her best to ignore the twisting of her stomach as an unfamiliar feeling fluttered inside her. She curled her hand in a fist around her shirt, wondering if she was about to throw up or not. She had never felt this strange sensation before, she was nervous and excited at the same time. The thought of seeing Jace had her tingling. When had all this started to happen?

"_A kiss that leaves you aching for more and feeling like if you don't get it you might just die. That's the kind of kiss, I mean. A _real_ kiss."_

Clary felt herself taking a deep breath as Isabelle pulled her through the shouting and tangling crowd. Teenagers grinded against each other in clusters as the beat of the bass dropped and pounded over their heads. Strobe lights flashed across the dance floor making the journey toward the kitchen seem futuristic and otherworldly; Isabelle looked like a goddess as her body swayed through the tangled bodies. Her long hair flowed down her back like water as it gleamed in the flashing lights and not for the first time that night did Clary feel out of place. She wanted to go home and spend New Years with her real friends not these people who were just pretending to be her friends.

Breaking through the sea of teens seemed never ending and Clary took a breath as soon as they broke through and entered the kitchen. And there he was, in fact, this is where they all were. Sebastian leaned against the counter his arms crossed and a red plastic cup in his hand, that sinister smile on his face. Kaelie sat on the counter right next to where he was perched, and every once in a while would stroke his shoulder as if to remind him she was there. Seelie Queen stood across from them, her grace face sneered in a beautiful scowl. Aline stood to her left, her short gleaming hair looking like silk. Clary guessed her hair probably felt like Egyptian cotton. And standing between them, looking like a golden prince stolen right out of a fairytale, was Jace.

There were several other people there too, a lot of wannabe's, cheerleader's and some dancer's but they were the only people who mattered to Clary truly. They were her enemies; she had to take them out. A feeling of determination flooded through her as she watched them laugh as Kaelie threw her head back and Sebastian turned his head to glance up at her with a demon-like grin.

Why was it when she saw them she felt it? Like a wave pushing you under the water and out to sea; she felt the determination, she felt the drive to succeed. Why was it when she was with Jace she couldn't see clearly? Why did it feel so wrong?

Why couldn't she breathe when he was around?

As if sensing her tangled thoughts Jace turned his head, his hand moving the plastic cup up to his mouth before he stopped in his tracks. His eyes seemed to glow under the fluorescent lights of the kitchen, his soft curls gleaming like golden shards off the light, fragmenting it in different sparks of color.

She hadn't talked to Jace since that day at his house. Would he be mad at her? She hadn't answered any of his calls, faking an illness instead and had told him they could just practice their lines in their own houses. Would he be bitter? Why was she so afraid that he would be upset anyway?

Isabelle gave her hand a gentle squeeze as if to say she was here and Clary would be fine. She felt a need to hug Isabelle then, though the girl was hard and—for the most part— pretty cold, it was moments like this that she showed she cared. Isabelle may not have been the most affectionate but she always had our back and that meant more to Clary than she thought Isabelle knew.

Leading the way with grace, Isabelle walked toward her brothers with a graceful strut, because she didn't just walk, leaving Clary to stumble in her too high of heels after her. She found herself in the vicious circle of wolves all too quickly as she felt their stares digging into her.

Kaelie blinked as if in astonishment. "Wow, Morgenstern, you cleaned up really nice."

"Yeah," A thick and heavy arm fell across her shoulders. She felt trapped and claustrophobic as Sebastian leaned too close and fanned her face with his whisky ridden breath. "You are looking hot, Strawberry Shortcake."

"Her name is Clary."

She felt her eyes lift to Jace's as Sebastian let out a laugh. "Chill bro, I was just making a joke."

"It wasn't funny." Jace smirked as he leaned against the counter behind him, Aline and Seelie Queen seemed to unconsciously move closer to him. "I would know. Besides she's a human being, not a red-headed pastry." Jace locked eyes with her and gave her a wink, which Clary had immediately smiled at.

"That might be but she's—"

"Cute enough to eat." Jace shrugged his shoulders as Sebastian leveled his glare at him; Jace had a look of irritation on his face but the reason was unclear to her. "Already beat you to that punch-line, _bro_." He said the name in a sarcastic fashion, almost like he didn't consider Sebastian his "bro" at all.

Grumbling under his breath, Sebastian dropped his arm off Clary's shoulders and drew away from her standing with his arms crossed against the counter opposite of Jace. "Oh please, for the love of God, stop." Isabelle said with a roll of her made-up eyes. "I think I might actually choke on the testosterone in the room right now." Isabelle, who had been sitting on the island in the middle of the kitchen, jumped down and began grabbing a bag of plastic cups. "Now, let's have some real fun before I begin to pull my hair out. Someone grab the alcohol and follow me."

Clary blinked her eyes in confusion as Isabelle strutted out of the room again; Alec at her heels, and left her standing with no idea what to do. Sebastian let out a laugh, the earlier fight over with as he grabbed two glass bottles of vodka and followed them out the door. He held the door open and motioned with his head for Clary to follow as she walked toward him with uncertain steps.

She was back in the hot, thick atmosphere of the dance room as the sight of grinding teens began to get old in her brain. She felt sticky and too warm as she followed after Sebastian who seemed to know where he was going. She would lose him every now and again only to find him moments later. The strobe lights were making it hard to see straight as she tried her best to follow.

One teenager got a little too into the music as his flailing body crashing into Clary's causing her to bump into another teen who turned to her in outrage. She was suddenly feeling overwhelmed and everything was really hot. The music was too loud, pounding in her head like a drum and the strobe lights were causing the room to spin. She had lost Sebastian yet again and had no idea which part of the large home she was at. She felt out of her league and very small.

Suddenly, a cold hand touched her shoulder and the world stopped spinning. She focused on the one cool thing in the mist of the hot, clustered room; she felt safe. A cool body leaned against hers as she felt herself leaning back; her spine was against this stranger chest as she slumped against them. The person leaned forward and placed another cool hand on her lower back. "I'll lead you."

She knew that voice; like honey and silk. It made her body flare up in a pleasurable heat, made her veins pumped with warm desire and her pulse quicken. Jace's hand slide down her shoulder as he guided her through the sweaty crowd, making sure no one touched her or caused her to trip again. His hand was about to fall away when she curled her own hand around his wrist, keeping him close to her. He didn't pull away like she had expected as he continued to guide her with a simple hand on her back.

When they reached an opened door at the far end of the room, Jace urged her down it making sure she didn't fall from the people who sat and stood in clusters on the stairs. Sebastian's basement was cool and had less people than upstairs, though, still quite a few. It was furbished and expensive looking as Jace continued to guide her to where his "friends" all stood.

Isabelle had taken 20 cups out of the bag and placed 10 of them in a large triangle formation on each side of Sebastian's ping pong table. Each red plastic cup was filled with vodka; some looked to be overflowing others seemed like they weren't filled at all.

She stepped away from Jace, having noticed she was standing very close to where he was and quickly dropped the wrist she hadn't known she was still clenching onto.

"Okay," Isabelle said in a big display of dramatics' as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and gestured with wide expressions to the table before her. "Everyone knows the rules of beer pong, or in this case, vodka pong correct?"

Seelie Queen sneered at Clary. "We do, I'm not so sure Miss. Goodie-Two-Shoe's knows how to play."

Clary gave them all a look before she shrugged. "I've played before. I know the basics."

She had played many times with her actual friends; to them she was known as the champion, though they never played with actual alcohol. She didn't know preciously how she managed to do it but most of the time she got the ball into the cup; Jonathon had taught her when they had been bored and home alone. Simon called up a fully loaded secret weapon, because no one suspected her as being good. She had never truly agreed with him until now; as Aline and the rest of the "populars" gave her a penetrating look like that they doubted she'd ever even saw alcohol in her life.

Isabelle gave her a smirk, for some odd reason she knew Isabelle believed her, and opened her mouth to appease the group anyway. "Well, in case anyone doesn't here are the general rules: each team takes turns throwing a ping pong ball into the other team's cups. Once a ball lands in a cup, the cup is taken away and the player has to drink the contents of the cup. If both players hit cups, they get to shoot again. The team that successfully hits all of the opponent's cups wins the game." She said as she took a breath. "Elbow/Wrist rule is out so no one has to worry about that and no fingering or blowing the ball out of the cup."

Sebastian let out a laugh as Isabelle rolled her eyes. "God, you're immature. Anyway," She clapped her hands together. "Sebastian will keep score first, since he's so excited." Sebastian frowned and glared at her before stomping to the dry-erase board on the wall beside them and took out a marker. "Teams are Alec and I, Aline and Seelie, Sebastian and Kaelie, and Jace and Clary."

Seelie opened her mouth and let out a squeal. "Excuse me! But Jace is my partner, he has to be! I'm always his partner; we're made for each other. Who died and put you in charge anyway? I don't see why we're listening to you. God, Isabelle why don't you get off your high cloud." Clary frowned as she watched sentence after sentence flood out of Seelie's mouth. She'd never seen anyone talk so fast before, nor had she ever heard anything so high-pitched. "I have to be Jace's partner."

"It's high horse."

Seelie stopped dead in her tracks as she turned her attention to Clary, her hands perched on her narrow hips. "Excuse me?"

Clary blinked a moment; not sure as to why Seelie was throwing daggers her way. She felt the rest of them watching her; a pair of golden eyes in particular watched her with amusement. "The saying." She shrugged slightly looking everyone but Jace in the eye. "You know, get off your high horse." She looked to Seelie with a small smile, not wanting to cause any trouble. She didn't really know why she'd said it in the first place now. "You said cloud, but its horse."

Sebastian and the others let out a laugh as Seelie narrowed her eyes at Clary as if to say, _watch yourself Morgenstern. Jace may say you're one of us but you aren't yet. _She turned away from Clary, who had a scared look on her face now. Seelie obviously felt that her message had been received since she didn't call Clary out on fixing her earlier mistake. "Isabelle, seriously. I **have** to be Jace's partner."

Jace rolled his eyes and Clary found it almost comical when Isabelle did it at the same time. She regarded the girl with artificial flowers in her hair with disinterest and slight disgust when she answered. "Well, I think you'll survive. Beside's it's already done." Sebastian, who had obviously ignored Seelie altogether had wrote their names on the board in different rows, sort of like what they did for March Madness Basketball.

Seelie dropped her mouth open, obviously to let out another cry but Jace stopped her before she even got the chance. Rubbing his fingers against his temples, he spoke through clenched teeth. "Would you just shut up already? God, you're like a Chihuahua. You just never stop talking."

Seelie looked at Jace, as if he had ripped her heart out before letting out a squeal as she stomping over to Aline and sitting with a huff, obviously hurt by Jace's words and Isabelle's and Alec's laughter. Aline even let out a laugh at her "friend's" expense. Clary kept her lips smashed together to keep the smile off her face; it wasn't like Seelie Queen hadn't deserved it.

Isabelle smiled and rubbed her hands together in excitement. Her deep brown eyes gleamed with anticipation. "You're going down, Morgenstern, and you'll be bringing Jace down with you."

Clary let out a laugh as she approached the table, happy to find she wasn't the least bit nervous about a game she actually enjoyed. "Oh, in your dreams, Lightwood. I'm going to mop your face with this game and maybe make you eat your own dignity while I'm at it too."

Isabelle let out a laugh as Alec gave her an unguarded smile. "You're on."

Jace stood beside her, illuminating the room with his own sort of light as he pointed his finger at his siblings and made finger movements about crushing them and killing them. Clary let out a laugh at his hysterics as Sebastian gave the ping pong ball to Isabelle. "Game decider: first person to get it in a cup before the other member gets to start the game. Both team members have to keep eye contact on the other team, if both members land there toss in a cup they give the ball to their partner and so on."

Isabelle smirked as she locked eyes with Jace, who kept making stupid faces at her and making her laugh. But Isabelle's perfection proved true when the ball bounced once and landed in one of their barely filled cups. She let out a whoop before raising an eyebrow at her brother who accepted the challenge with grace; landing the ball in their cup with a certain elegance that shouldn't have been in "vodka" pong.

Alec took his turn next locking eyes with Clary; he somewhat clumsily got the ball in the cup. Clary knew all eyes would be on her, they all secretly wanted her to fail except for Jace and the Lightwoods. Well, Isabelle and Alec wanted her to fail to but for different reasons all together. The rest of them wanted to laugh at her, find something to take her out with and make a fool of her in front of Jace. But she was playing this by her own rules.

She locked eyes with Alec and shot the ball.

And missed their cups completely.

Isabelle let out another yell as she retrieved the ball, readied herself for the first shot. Seelie, who had been dying for a reason to open her mouth, spewed out a set of nasty sentences all pointed to humiliate Clary but she paid her no attention. She would show them, she had too.

Isabelle took aim and easily bounced it into their cups. "Bottom's up, Sunshine."

Jace glared at his sister, his body tensing with the mocking endearment, but said nothing as he down the filled cup of vodka quickly. He put the cup aside and shook his head, his curls whipping around in a blur of gold. "Wow, that's strong." He threw a glance at Clary before bending down and putting his mouth close to her ear. It wasn't meant to be sensual but it felt that way as she tried to hold back the shiver that rolled down her back. "Can you handle this stuff, Juliet?"

Clary turned her head sharply, wondering if he was saying it to mock her but his face held genuine concern as she felt a flutter in her stomach. She already felt her heart trying to pound out of her chest and into his hands when he had said his new nickname for her, why did he have to make her stomach weak too. "Sure, I mean, how bad can it be?"

He gave her a hard stare before nodding slightly and bringing his mouth back to her ear. "If you don't want to drink it or start getting foggy; just give it to me, okay?"

She nodded as Isabelle let out a yell. "Hey, we're playing a game here. You can whisper sweet nothings in her ear later, Romeo." Clary felt her face heat up as she felt the glances that were being thrown their way.

Jace smirked as Alec took his shot; it bounced easily into the cup before Clary. It wasn't filled very high, but she knew it would burn anyway. She held the cup hesitantly as she looked at all the eyes staring into her. This was her third test, she could feel it. The first had been showing up at the party at all, her second was her outfit; though, they would never know that Isabelle actually put it together for her. This was her third, would she chicken out? Would she drink it?

Clary knew she didn't really have a choice as she put the red plastic cup to her lips and swallowed the contents inside. She choked a moment as the sharp taste of the vodka scrapped against her throat making it burn far worse than a can of Coke ever could. She coughed into the cup but didn't stop as she chocked and swallowed the rest of what was inside. Her stomach rolled and she felt nauseous but she told herself she wouldn't hurl as she slammed the cup down on the ping pong table. Isabelle let out a scream of encouragement and Alec gave her a small smile, which was lot of Alec. Clary returned it with a small grin of her own and playfully bowed.

Sebastian let out a wolf call as Clary blushed slightly; feeling his eyes digging into her she had to turn and give him a glance. Jace stood with an almost bewildered look on his face and suddenly Clary felt proud of herself. Isabelle grabbed the ball and took another turn; though this time missing the cup completely with a curse. Alec tossed the ball with into another of Clary's cups with the same grace as Isabelle had before but before she could drink it, Jace swooped in and downed the cup's contents. She looked at him a moment in confusion before he shrugged.

"Now, the true champions can show you how it's done." Jace said with a smirk as he tapped Clary on the shoulder with his own. He leaned in close against and fanned his warm breath against her neck; he smelled so much better than Sebastian even though they smelled very much the same. Vodka was on Jace's breath which gave a spike to his usual sweet scent. He was like a drug. And she was addicted. "No holding back, Spitfire." She gave him a smirk and a wink as he returned it.

And that's when it happened. As if God was throwing her a bone, Jace placed his lips softly against her cheek before turning away and readying himself for his toss. It couldn't have lasted more than a second but his lips, which had been soft and sweet as butterfly's wings, had caused her entire frame to spike with heat. Like he was roasting her over a camp fire; and it wasn't until that moment when she realized she was in deep.

Far too deep to be safe.

Isabelle kept trying to catch her eye but all Clary could look at, all Clary could see was Jace. It was as if the world had gone slightly blurry and he was the only thing she could see straight. It must have been the alcohol. It was going to all their heads already. There was no other explanation.

Jace took a dramatic breath, the muscles of his arm tensing as he pretended to aim for a cup; when they all knew he would land it no matter what. His back strained against him black t-shirt as he bent forward, Clary could see every muscle in his back coil as he took his shot. It bounced once on the table and fell into a plastic cup with elegance.

He took a bow as he gestured to Isabelle. "I hope you're thirsty, Princess."

Isabelle scowled mockingly at her brother as she tossed back her cup with much more grace than Clary ever could, her hair falling over her shoulder and down her back like silk. "You're turn, Clary."

Jace gave her a look, one filled of amusement as he passed her the ball. "You've got this." And she did, she knew it. She had played before, she had to get at least one shot. She just had to focus.

She took the ball from his palm and held it uncertainly in her small hands. It was slippery, something she had to take into account, and was wet with vodka. Maybe, she couldn't do it. When she played with her friends it was easy and fun but this was different. This was another test she was sure. She looked up at Jace for a moment to find he was already looking at her, nothing but admiration shined in those golden orbs and she knew he thought she could do it. He believed in her.

And just like that Clary turned and let the ball leave her fingers; it bounced on the ping pong table and fall, with perfect precision into one of the Lightwood's 10 cups. Clary felt the smile on her face as Alec groaned and brought the cup up to his lips. Everyone let out calls of encouragement and laughter and for a second it all seemed normal. Like they were all just normal teenage friends having a good time.

But they weren't.

Weren't they?

* * *

"Okay, you've got this. Just one cup left, this is it." Clary blinked and swallowed in concentration as the room became foggy and spun slightly. She was unbalanced and neither was Jace as they leaned against each other for support. It was the last cup. They had already beat Isabelle and Alec and Aline and Seelie. All that was left was Sebastian and Kaelie; each had one cup left on their side of the table. Jace was slurring slightly, his hands falling from her shoulders as he spoke in her ear; he had drank from much more cups than she had and the effect was clear. If she missed this, Sebastian and Kaelie had a chance to win. Much higher of a chance then they did.

Sebastian watched her with those beady, black eyes as she swayed and blinked before readjusting herself and taking aim again. This was for the championship. This was for all the marbles. People had first started to gather during their game with the Lightwood's, which hadn't helped Clary's concentration any, but had flocked to see them play at Aline and Seelie's game. Word had obviously spread that Clarissa Morgenstern was playing Vodka Pong with the "populars" because everyone was watching her with a quizzical stare. Others in confusion, having not known who she was until now, and some in astonishment, this wasn't the Clary Morgenstern they barely knew.

"Just focus on the cup. Be the cup. You are the cup." She turned to glare up at Jace, who had a goofy smile on his face from where his head rested on her shoulder. His curls were tangling with hers as she turned her attention back to the game.

"You don't have it in you, Morgenstern." Kaelie said with a smile; they had started being nicer to her during the second game. They all had begun to enjoy themselves, even Seelie who laughed openly with Clary. Everyone had obviously had _a lot_ of alcohol.

And she had passed their tests.

Clary felt herself smile as the world spun a little less quickly. She could feel Jace's hands as they ran down her shoulders, across her arms before stopping at her own hands, which stopped the shaking she hadn't known she had started to do. His breath was hot against her ear as she let his voice consume her. His cheek's graving hers in a moment of purity.

"Focus." It was all he said.

So, she did. Together they let the ball go; it seemed to happen in slow motion as the room went quick, all eyes on the swaying pair. It was like a gunshot throughout the entire room as the ball bounced once on the hard tabletop. It flew through the air, cutting the room's tension like a knife. It seemed to soar as Jace let out a breath, moving Clary's curls against her ear. They all watched; people on the edge of their seats, Isabelle's eyes widened and Alec seemed to dig him fingers into his thighs, Aline bit her lip and Seelie had her hands clenched into fists. They all stared as the ball flew.

And landed.

Right into Sebastian and Kaelie's last cup.

The crowd yelled as Clary dropped her mouth open in astonishment and turned quickly in Jace's arms. She threw her tiny hands around his neck as his arms lifted her off her feet and up into the air. Jace let out a war cry as she threw her head back and laughed. His nose skimmed her neck as he looked up at her, his eyes seemed to glow through the blurry world; the lighthouse to guide her shaking ship, her own personal beacon of light.

"We won." She said with a huge smile on her face; Jace didn't return the smile as his eye scanned over her face as if memorizing her.

"We would have won anyway."

She stared at him slightly confused as a very drunken Isabelle came stumbling over to them. "You are the champions, my friends." She sang in a terribly slurred voice. "And they can go cry." She lifted her voice too high to be called singing. "'Cause they lost. Dun, dun, dun!" Clary had never seen Isabelle so disheveled. Her hair was slightly array and her stance held none of the superior grace it usually did. She looked human.

"Hey!" A student in Clary's A.P Psychology class broke through the crowd toward them as Jace put her gently back on her feet. "The balls about to drop!"

Everyone scurried up the stairs as Jace walked with, suddenly less wobbly steps, toward the upper floor. People gathered in the living room as Ryan Seacrest's face filled the screen. She expected to stop there but Jace didn't as he tugged on her arm and led her out the front door into the cold air outside. It was snowing; big, fat snowflakes covering the once deaden grass in a wintry wonderland of white. It was like laying a white blanket on the floor as the snowflakes bunched together as they fell.

Jace let go of her hand as stepped away from her, looking at her through the falling flakes. "Every snowflake is different."

She didn't know why he was telling her this but his eyes seemed to plead with her to answer him. She could feel the snowflakes falling on her head and it cooled her hot flesh. "Yes, I know." She was sobering up from her buzz and the world was crashing against her as it stopped spinning. She spoke in a low voice as if afraid to break what was sparking to life between them. "You really are beautiful, Jace."

She said it while her brain was still foggy, because if it wasn't she would have never got the chance to say it. The snow had fallen into his hair like frozen tears and he looked like a Christmas Angel standing before the world in sorrow. His eyes were wide and his breathing was coming out in fast puffs, the air around him showing just how nervous he really was. Why? Why would he be nervous?

He took a step toward her, letting his feet guide him across the hard snow; crunching it under his feet. He was standing in front of her before she could register what was happening. His chest brushed her own and the air they both exhaled mingled together into one large white cloud. She let out a nervous laugh as took a wobbling step back, though her unbalance had nothing to do with the alcohol she had consumed. "What? No sarcastic and arrogant comment?"

"Nope." He whispered his face far too close to hers to be safe.

"Well, that's different." She said breathlessly, her eyes scanning over his lips as if against her own will. Her hands, which she had no control over and were obviously traitors, fisted his T-shirt close to her. She could feel the warmth of his body and felt her tongue wet her lips in anticipation.

"You're different. We're different." He said it as quickly and as breathlessly as her. She could hear them chanting the countdown in the background. "You make me different."

Ten…

Clary swallowed and dropped her gaze to her fingers which seemed to tighten around Jace's collar. "Is different a good thing?"

Nine…

"Different," Jace tucked his fingers under her chin, making her look back up at his handsome face. It seemed surreal, as the snowflakes fell around them. His golden gaze captivating and Clary found her brain turning into a gooey mess. Along with her heart. "Is a great thing."

Eight…

Jace searched her face as if asking for something, but she didn't know what. "I'm going to kiss you now." He whispered it against her lips, his head moving closer but his eyes asking for the permission of a gentleman.

Seven…

"That's the alcohol talking." Clary didn't move her head away from his as her eyes searched him own.

Six…

Jace shook his head slowly, his lips brushing against hers lightly. "No, it's just me." He eyes were pleading with her as he waited in silent agony. "Just Jace."

Five…

And suddenly Clary thought again of that little boy, with ice cream all over his face; the little golden boy with a large smile on his face.

Four…

Here he was, standing before her waiting; waiting for her to let him kiss her. To give her what he believed to be a _real_ kiss.

Three…

"Just Jace." She whispered it against his mouth as her hands slipped up into his hair, it separated like silk and part for her fingers obediently. Jace let out a whimper of need as she spoke. "You're always just Jace to me."

He nodded. "Just Jace."

Two…

"You're all I need for New Years." She whispered it against his mouth as if trading a secret only for him to know; to have it imprinted on his mouth for all of time.

One…

"You're all I need."

And as the crowd inside let out yells and screams for the New Year, Clary Morgenstern, invisible girl, wrapped her arms around Jace Lightwood, the King, and pulled him down that last inch to meet her lips. He let out a groan deep in the back of his throat and it rocked through her body like a shiver. He pulled her even closer, if that was possible, to him; his hand clenched onto her arms like a life line, like he was trying to mold her to him. She held him just as tight, her hands slipping from his hair to his shoulders, feeling the hard muscles under her fingers tense and release as his hands dug into her hips and lifted her for easier access.

And as the world went on without them, as friends hugged and lover's smooched; Clary was swept off her feet, her lips performing an intricate dance with her Romeo.

As he gave her, her first _real _kiss.

* * *

**Thanks to everyone who reviews.**

**And please do it again.**

**Also, here's another question for you! If you could have any animals defense mechanism what would it be and why? **


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